From Thesis to Meme to Fund: Building American Dynamism

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Mar 11, 2025

Explore the journey from a bold thesis on American innovation to a thriving movement addressing key societal issues. Discover how startups can elevate national interests and the role of tech in enhancing national defense. The discussion highlights the rise of agile defense firms and the shifting landscape of tech hubs across America. With a focus on the collaboration between Washington and Silicon Valley, the conversation dives into the future potential of AI across various sectors, urging entrepreneurs to seize transformative opportunities.

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INSIGHT

Rapid Movement Growth

The "American Dynamism" thesis and fund, focusing on startups tackling national interest problems, gained traction faster than anticipated.
This quick adoption highlights founders' organic desire to build tangible solutions and address critical issues.

ANECDOTE

Inspiration from SpaceX and Tesla

Observing SpaceX and Tesla's success, founders realized they could build meaningful projects beyond optimizing ad clicks.
The Project Maven incident further motivated founders to seek more impactful work.

INSIGHT

Controversy and National Focus

The term "American Dynamism" was initially controversial, especially in Silicon Valley, due to its national focus.
It challenged the prevailing globalist view and highlighted the specific needs of companies serving national interests.

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For over a century, the United States has been the birthplace of world-changing innovation – from the Wright brothers’ first flight to the invention of the transistor, the moon landing, and the birth of the internet. But in recent years, belief in American progress has wavered.

Three years ago, a16z General Partner Katherine Boyle wrote a bold thesis called Building American Dynamism, challenging this apathy and calling for startups to tackle the country’s biggest problems. The idea spread fast – first as a meme, then as a movement, and today as a $600M dedicated fund.

In this episode, Katherine and fellow a16z General Partner David Ulevitch discuss:

The origins of American Dynamism—and why it was controversial at first
How Washington and Silicon Valley can come together
America’s competitiveness in today’s great power competition
The latest American Dynamism 50 list focused on the Indo-Pacific, showcasing the top startups building for the national interest

If you’re curious about the future of America, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Check out this year’s full AD50 list at a16z.com/AD50.

Resources:

Find David on X: https://x.com/davidu

Find Katherine on X: https://x.com/KTmBoyle

Find last year’s’ American Dynamism 50 AI Addition’ here: https://a16z.com/american-dynamism-50-ai/

Read Katherine’s article ‘Building American Dynamism’: https://a16z.com/building-american-dynamism/

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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.