Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) is intensifying its push in Washington, spending $1.49 million on federal lobbying so far this year, lobbying records show. The VC giant is now outspending even its industry trade group, the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), which has reported $1.40 million.
The firm’s pace is accelerating: a16z spent $1.8 million in all of 2024 and $950,000 in 2023. By comparison, Sequoia Capital has spent $120,000 this year, while General Catalyst logged $500,000.
a16z’s lobbying covers a wide spectrum, from digital assets and stablecoins to AI and defense priorities. The firm first explicitly added the National Defense Authorization Act to its lobbying agenda in late 2023, and filings since then show growing efforts to frame tech and finance through a national security lens. The National Security Council began appearing in filings in mid-2024 and remains listed this year.
While co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz backed Donald Trump in the last election, the lobbying team is bipartisan, with recruits from both parties. Just last week, a16z brought on Anne Neuberger, former Deputy National Security Advisor, as a senior advisor on American Dynamism, AI, and cyber.
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The lobbying push comes as a16z deepens bets in regulated industries like defense and the U.S. industrial base. Still, experts caution lobbying dollars don’t always equal influence. Rivals like Founders Fund report minimal spending yet maintain strong Pentagon and White House ties through key personnel.
In parallel, a16z is also active in politics via PACs. The firm recently backed Leading the Future, a pro-AI network of PACs, according to the Wall Street Journal.
