Shifting into a Wartime Footing and the Importance of Culture

In this exclusive conversation from a16z’s Bio and Health BUILD Summit, founding partner Ben Horowitz sits down with general partner Jorge Conde. They discuss everything from the inspiration behind Ben’s book The Hard Thing About Hard Things, how the open Internet was secured, the difference between wartime and peacetime CEOs, scaling culture, and understanding how bio & healthcare differs from other forms of technology.

Topics Covered:

00:00 - Introduction

02:09 - What are the most important lessons for a CEO?

08:45 - Surprising leaders in history

11:41 - Wartime CEO vs the peacetime CEO

14:54 - Cultures role

20:59 - Communication and scaling 

25:39 - Culture as a moat

27:46 - The interplay between startups and incumbents

30:22 - Advice for founders on navigating AI

Resources:

• Find Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz
• Find Jorge on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jorgecondebio
• Ben’s Book: https://www.amazon.com/Hard-Thing-About-Things-Building/dp/0062273205

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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.