a16z Talent x Opportunity

🌟 Meet the TxO Mentors w/ Paul Holliman 🎥 A former Walt Disney Studios exec turned Angel Investor, Paul boasts a stellar portfolio with powerhouses like Gitlab, Deel, and Flexport. Through his work with TxO, 500 Global and more, he’s mentored in over 400 sessions in the past four years. 💥 Living in Williamsburg, Virginia, with his wife Teresa, Paul is a family man with two children and grandchildren who continues to impact the startup world by guiding tomorrow's leaders. 🌱 📣 Dive into our Q&A with Paul as he shares gems from his vast experience: 📣 Q: What is one of your most memorable career breakthroughs, highlights, or learning moments? A: "Revolutionizing the distribution formats for motion pictures, bringing IMAX, Digital 3D, and ScreenX into the mainstream. It taught me that going beyond the status quo can yield extraordinary results." 🎬 Q: What is the most common advice you give founders on their pitch decks? A: "Investors are trying to understand the opportunity. Make it easy by clearly communicating your business. By timing each slide in your presentation deck, the one with the longest duration signals the need for the most refinement." 🕒 Q: Any advice for founders raising money in a tough market? A: "In challenging market conditions, it's crucial to expand and prioritize your investor prospects. It's essentially a numbers game. When you receive fewer affirmative responses, you'll need a larger pool of potential leads to successfully secure funding." 💡 Q: How do you know someone is a good fit to hire to help your company achieve its goals at the earliest stages? A: "If it is possible to provide a bespoke timed test, it can help you filter for problem-solving and time-management skills. I have done this for positions ranging from engineer to vice president, and the results often make the decision between two great candidates obvious." 🧠

Over the last 16 weeks, Feedplan was a part of a16z Talent x Opportunity, and I'm thrilled to share some results: KPI Growth during a16z TxO: • 𝗚𝗠𝗩: +32% (MoM) • 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀: +43% (MoM) • 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵: +8% (MoM) • 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: 10 meals/mo (~$105) 🏞️ As a founder from Montana, the idea of a startup ecosystem was a foreign concept. I launched my first business at 14 and built and sold two companies by 20, profitably generating hundreds of thousands in ARR and shipping 10K+ orders worldwide. Yet, the venture capital and fundraising world was utterly unfamiliar to me. 🌉 TxO wasn't just a program—it was a bridge. It connected me to people, knowledge, and resources previously out of reach. The a16z team and my fellow founders shared invaluable insights that have accelerated Feedplan's growth in a matter of weeks. For under-networked founders like me, TxO isn't just a game-changer; it's life-changing. I'm grateful to be part of a community that truly believes in diverse founders from all walks of life and experience and backs that belief with action. I want to thank Kofi Ampadu, Traron L. Edwards, Ashlee Halpin, Caitlin Glazebrook, Stacia M., Kierston Gittens and the rest of the TxO team for an incredible experience that I will never forget. Additionally, a big shout out to Tijuana Ricks and Allison McGuire for helping me develop my stage presence and voice. To my fellow founders and good friends: Ashlyn Greer, Mamadou Ndiaye Jr, Derek Gauthier, Mel David, Jeff Ivory... it's time to take flight 🚀💫 I'm so proud to have worked alongside you guys and excited to have a front-row seat to everything you all accomplish in the future. #startups #founder #entrepreneurship #preseed

🌟 Celebrating Our 2024 TxO Mentors for National Mentoring Day!🌟 Ahead of National Mentoring Day this Sunday (10/27), we're shouting out the fantastic mentors in our TxO network. Thank you for guiding our founders through crucial growth phases with your wisdom, experience, and relentless support! 💪🏽 Whether you're an entrepreneur, operator, or investor, your dedication to paying it forward enriches our community and paves the way for the next wave of innovative leaders. 🌱 Interested in making a lasting impact? Join our mentor network and share your expertise with our talented founders. Reach out at txo@a16z.com. Here's to our mentors, who inspire and elevate every step of the journey! 💫

Press Start! It’s Glossbird — where bold meets sustainable in the gaming industry! 🎮🌿 They’re passionate about creating games that resonate with the massive yet often overlooked 85% of gamers: women, seniors, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ communities. They’re innovative player-centric development process is setting a standard, focusing on wellbeing and inclusivity. 🌈👵 At Glossbird, they’re not just playing games; they’re pioneering a movement to make the gaming world more inclusive and reflective of diverse communities. They believe life isn’t a game, but through games, we can make life better. 💖 🌟 None of the information discussed should be taken as investment advice; please see a16z disclosures for more information.

We’re excited to welcome T.E.A. (Teach, Empower, Achieve) 🎓, Unlocked Labs 🔑, and VetsinTech 🇺🇸 to the TxO community as our 2024 grantees! 🥳 🎉 Our aim in supporting these organizations is to connect more talent of all backgrounds who have insightful ideas and the drive to advance in technology or business with opportunities to realize their ambitions.

🗣 Congrats to the Fall 2024 a16z Talent x Opportunity cohort! They did their thing last week during demo day at #LATechWeek. Thanks to the TxO team (Ashlee, Caitlin, Elizabeth, Kierston, Stacia, and Traron), our mentors and corporate partners for supporting them. A special thanks to Hamet Watt (Share Ventures) for sharing invaluable insights from his entrepreneurial and investor journey. Founders: Jeff Ivory Win Feigle Ashlyn Greer Mel David Lane Petrauskas Derek Gauthier Mamadou Ndiaye Jr s/o: Jesús Salas Antonio Key Ashtan Jordan Allison McGuire Tijuana Ricks Jennifer Kamara Tiffany Johnson Tash Jefferies Peter Blackwood Tom Hammer Judene Small Jean-Louis Deborah Embaie, MPA and many more!

Virch Merch couldn’t be more thrilled to celebrate our incredible Founder & CEO, Mel David, for their outstanding performance at the a16z Talent x Opportunity Fall ’24 Demo Day during TECH WEEK by a16z! 🔥🤘 We are excited to continue highlighting how Virch Merch is revolutionizing live event merchandise through rapid delivery services and streamlined logistics solutions. Our commitment to innovation is paving the way for a more seamless experience for artists, fans, and the entertainment industry as a whole. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/e6jPVM5E #VirchMerch #TechWeek #LiveEvents #RapidDelivery #LogisticsSolutions

Demo day done ✅ A heartfelt thank you to a16z Talent x Opportunity for an unforgettable experience showcasing Virch Merch during TECH WEEK by a16z! As part of the a16z TxO Fall ’24 Cohort, it has been a true honor to stand alongside such a talented group of innovators. At Virch Merch, we are thrilled to continue demonstrating how we are transforming the way artists connect with their fans through innovative merchandise solutions and rapid delivery services that elevate the live event experience. 🚀 A huge shoutout to my fellow Cohort members—your dedication and groundbreaking ideas are nothing short of inspiring. I can’t wait to watch your journeys unfold and see the impact you’ll make in your respective industries! 💡💪 Ashlyn Greer, Fashivly Win Feigle, Feedplan Jeff Ivory, GamerXSociety | The Future Of Gaming Mamadou Ndiaye Jr & Derek Gauthier, Timbucktoo Lane Petrauskas, Rume Here’s to pushing boundaries and making waves together! 🌊 #TechWeek #TxO #VirchMerch #Innovation #a16z #DemoDay #Entrepreneurship

In April, I was halfway through reading Ben Horowitz’s book on culture, What You Do Is Who You Are, when I got a LinkedIn request and email from someone at the firm he built. What I encountered from then on- from the interview process, to 16 weeks of emails, zooms, and off-sites- matched exactly to the values they say they’re about: valuing and respecting founders and their time, first class business in a first class way, a long view on relationships, celebrating wins. No email was left unanswered (within a DAY), every detail was thought of, considered, and executed exceptionally. a16z Talent x Opportunity fam, and every single other person at Andreessen Horowitz who gave your time to teach or just brainstorm with us, you are the real deal. Dela and the McGuire Method team, you challenged me and helped me become an even more confident speaker (and yes, I’m still working on not talking at 200 mph all the time!) Angel P., you are an actual genius, and the hours spent with you as my mentor have been some of the best for me and Fashivly as a whole. To my team, who already carries so much, thank you for making space for the last 16 weeks. And most importantly, for being along for the ride of every crazy idea I’ve had since being in this program. I don’t think anyone would argue with the fact that we’ve tried more, failed more, AND accomplished more in the last few months than in the years leading up to it. To my fellow cohort members, I’m truly inspired by each of you and I can’t wait to see all the places we’ll go together now. Win Feigle, Jeff Ivory, Mel David, Mamadou Ndiaye Jr, Derek Gauthier The thing I’m most excited for in the future, is to see another girl like me 10 years from now get this same opportunity with this fund that she could only dream of. One that didn’t grow up in the “right” place, or get into the “right” school, or have the “right” connections, up until this point. Like me, she’s going to get an email one day, probably years after she started building something from scratch, and then sit at a long dinner table and look around and wonder how she got there. I can’t wait to meet her and see what she’s building. 

Demo day done ✅ A heartfelt thank you to a16z Talent x Opportunity for an unforgettable experience showcasing Virch Merch during TECH WEEK by a16z! As part of the a16z TxO Fall ’24 Cohort, it has been a true honor to stand alongside such a talented group of innovators. At Virch Merch, we are thrilled to continue demonstrating how we are transforming the way artists connect with their fans through innovative merchandise solutions and rapid delivery services that elevate the live event experience. 🚀 A huge shoutout to my fellow Cohort members—your dedication and groundbreaking ideas are nothing short of inspiring. I can’t wait to watch your journeys unfold and see the impact you’ll make in your respective industries! 💡💪 Ashlyn Greer, Fashivly Win Feigle, Feedplan Jeff Ivory, GamerXSociety | The Future Of Gaming Mamadou Ndiaye Jr & Derek Gauthier, Timbucktoo Lane Petrauskas, Rume Here’s to pushing boundaries and making waves together! 🌊 #TechWeek #TxO #VirchMerch #Innovation #a16z #DemoDay #Entrepreneurship