Email, a technology from 1971, is powering one of today’s most disruptive media platforms.

In this episode, Substack cofounder and CEO Chris Best joins a16z General Partner Andrew Chen to discuss the origins and evolution of Substack, a platform redefining media and empowering creators to connect directly with their audiences. They dive into how Substack’s early days led to over 3 million paid subscribers, why creators are moving away from traditional platforms to establish direct connections with their audiences, and how the future of media in the AI era is reshaping opportunities for writers, podcasters, and video creators.

From Chris’s lessons scaling Kik Messaging to Substack’s profound impact on the creator economy, this conversation shares insights on building platforms, culture, and opportunity in the modern era.

Resources:

Find Chris on Substack: https://cb.substack.com/

Find Andrew Chen on Substack: https://andrewchen.substack.com/

Stay Updated:

Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z

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Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

with @sambroner @meigga @darenmatsuoka @jneu_net @chrislyons and @rhhackett @smc90

Welcome to our special end-of-year episodes -- which also look ahead to 2025 -- covering our annual Big Ideas lists, where various a16z crypto team members share what they are personally excited about. (You can see the firmwide list, also including all the trends of the crypto team, here.)

This episode is part 1 of 2 -- but you don't have to listen to them in any particular order -- covering the trends and themes of:

• stablecoins, payments, and where the early adopters will come from;
• app store distribution, curation, and discovery;
• where the next crypto users will come from, turning passive holders into active users;
• how builders improve, and better choose, infrastructure; and
• simplifying user experience.

Covering each of these -- and coming from the investing, go-to-market, data science, research, and media teams are: Sam Broner, Maggie Hsu, Daren Matsuoka, Joachim Neu, and Chris Lyons; in conversation with hosts Sonal Chokshi and Robert Hackett. (Stay tuned until the end for some of our meta-commentary.)

These are just 5 of the 14 trends we shared; you can check out the full list at a16zcrypto.com/bigideas.

Also be sure to check out part 2, which covers all the trends at the intersection of crypto and AI.

As a reminder, none of the content is investment, business, legal, or tax advice; please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information -- including a link to a list of our investments.

As we prepare to step into 2025, the possibilities for applied AI are reshaping industries in profound ways.

In this episode, a16z General Partners Julie Yoo and Angela Strange, and Partner Joe Schmidt, dive into the transformative power of AI across healthcare, fintech, and traditional service sectors.

We explore:

• Super Staffing for Healthcare: How AI can address critical clinical labor shortages and augment care delivery at scale.
• Regulation Becomes Code: The potential for AI to simplify and streamline compliance, making systems safer and more efficient.
• Romanticizing Inorganic Growth: The opportunity for AI-powered startups to redefine service industries through workflow automation and strategic acquisition.

With insights from a16z’s Bio + Health, Fintech, and Apps teams, this episode unpacks the ideas that will revolutionize traditional systems and unlock opportunities in 2025.

Check out the full 50 Big Ideas for 2025 at a16z.com/bigideas.

Resources:

Find Angela on X: https://x.com/astrange

Find Julie on X: https://x.com/julesyoo

Find Joe on X: https://x.com/joeschmidtiv

Link to article 'The Messy Inbox Problem: Wedge Strategies in AI Apps': https://a16z.com/the-messy-inbox-problem-ai-apps-wedge-strategies

Stay Updated:

Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z

Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z

Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/

Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithio

Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.