David George, General Partner at a16z, shares his journey in growth investing and the strategic dynamics of the tech and healthcare sectors. He discusses what distinguishes a16z's approach to investments, emphasizing the importance of product uniqueness and market insights. David highlights the lessons from investing in Figma, offering a unique perspective on evaluating companies. He also addresses the balance of R&D and go-to-market spending and shares his thoughts on the evolving landscape of AI and its impact on future investments.

David George, head of the a16z Growth fund, dives into late-stage investing with a focus on identifying companies poised for explosive growth. He shares his unique mental models and insights on what makes a growth company, emphasizing the significance of inputs over outputs. The conversation covers the journey to going public, the transformative role of AI, and strategic R&D spending. David also reflects on his career path, discussing lessons learned and the importance of innovative business models in today's competitive market.

For any business, there are three core financial statements – the income or P&L statement, the balance sheet, and the cash flow statement. While these statements can show investors and the board how the business is doing, they can do more than just keep score on your business – they are one of the best tools you have to run it.In this podcast, a16z General Partner and managing partner Jeff Jordan, who previously ran several businesses and took a company public right after the 2008 financial crisis; David George, who runs the a16z late-stage venture operation; and former CFO Caroline Moon, who leads the a16z financial operations team, break down what the numbers do (and don’t) tell you, both in financial statements and KPIs. They cover the most common mistakes people make when it comes to understanding their numbers; how investors look at a company's P&L; what metrics they use to determine if a business is healthy; and how founders can use the numbers to navigate in times of crisis.