a16z hires former Marine Daniel Penny, who in December a New York jury acquitted in a controversial subway chokehold case, to work on its American Dynamism team

“Daniel acted with courage in a tough situation,” said partner David Ulevitch in a statement explaining the hire.

The Free Press 2025-02-05 Olivia Reingold

Context & Ripple Effects

a16z had already earmarked part of its newest fund set for its American Dynamism strategy, making team-building around that mandate consequential to how the firm presents the strategy.

The firm has also brought in specialists for portfolio-facing functions, including a regulatory-affairs hire from Facebook. This appointment is distinctive because the stated justification centers on Penny's conduct in a highly public case after his acquittal.

First-order effects

Penny joins a16z's American Dynamism team, while partner David Ulevitch publicly ties the firm's decision to his assessment of Penny's actions.
The hire immediately makes a16z responsible for defending a personnel choice likely to draw attention because of the case surrounding Penny's acquittal.

Second-order effects

The public rationale raises reputational stakes for the American Dynamism brand: founders, limited partners, and prospective hires can evaluate the team not only by its investment remit but by the firm's judgment in prominent appointments.
It also broadens a16z's established practice of adding people with experience outside conventional investing, alongside prior policy and operating hires.

Third-order effects

If repeated, this points to venture firms treating specialized teams as institutions that recruit for public-policy, security, regulatory, and civic credibility—not solely investing track records.
That approach can make talent selection itself part of a firm's positioning, increasing the value and the downside of publicly explained hires when candidates carry polarized public profiles.

The trend: Venture firms are building strategy-specific teams with nontraditional backgrounds as investing becomes more entwined with policy, national priorities, and public legitimacy.

Discussion

@kint Jason Kint on bluesky
Marc Andreessen. On brand. Remember when he and Peter Thiel were never held accountable for Facebook's massive data scandal covered up by a $5B payment to the FTC and importantly a stealth $100MM payment to the SEC? Yeah, that was a bad move. [embedded post]
@lopatto Elizabeth Lopatto on bluesky
in case you were wondering what “meritocracy” looks like www.thefp.com/p/exclusive-...
@jdvance JD Vance on x
Incredible news
@molly0xfff Molly White on x
incredible to see Andreessen Horowitz institute a jobs program for white men they admit are unqualified, after all that complaining that “DEI” was ruining their dreams of meritocracy https://techcrunch.com/...
@luke_metro @luke_metro on x
what do you think the competition for dealflow between him & Donald Trump Jr is going to look like [image]
@zebulgar Delian on x
“we're looking for candidates that have an MBA or did 3-4 years at a high growth startup or choked out a crazy homeless person”
@yungpanko Jared Ray Johnson on x
on some real shit i didn't even have a strong opinion on the daniel penny case. naive as it sounds i trusted in whatever outcome they decided. but the most famous vc firm in the world giving him a job is peak fucking comedy. can't tell me shit about america i can't already see
@jfeldman_epi Justin Feldman on x
This is the first thing that's made me immediately say “that's fascist”. A bunch of capitalists hire a white lyncher in an effort to curry favor with the state.
@dalibali2 @dalibali2 on x
Come to think of it this is basically the same as virtue signaling.
@sturgeons_law @sturgeons_law on x
More right-wing DEI.
@mikeisaac Rat King on x
Penny's page is already up on A16Z's site as someone on their “American Dynamism” team. he is listed as a “deal partner” in his bio i assume they will have to teach him how to do deals before he starts partnering on them [image]
@zebulgar Delian on x
“yeah I had a pretty nontraditional path into venture”
@radishharmers Sridhar Ramesh on x
Not sure how venture capital makes money killing homeless people, but I guess it's a volume business. Just need that one unicorn homeless billionaire who spills change like Sonic rings.
@ghosttyped @ghosttyped on x
[image]
@gwartygwart @gwartygwart on x
What if Daniel Penny got completely exonerated in court only for a16z to turn around and make him work on DAO governance for 30 years
@brandyljensen Brandy Jensen on x
this is sick, sick shit
@mikeisaac Rat King on x
so blue chip VC firm Andreessen Horowitz hires Daniel Penny. you may remember coverage of his trial in 2024 i am not sure what job they're hiring him for or what his qualifications are but in the hiring announcement a partner says they will teach him “the business of investing” […
@lindayax Linda Yaccarino on x
@bariweiss ... This is amazing! 💪
@jack_raines Jack Raines on x
Going from facing 20 years to working on defense tech investments with @a16z in a matter of months is a wild arc. Good for him. [image]
@coorslightceo @coorslightceo on x
a16z hiring daniel penny is a really fucked up political version of ackman with that fly fishing guide
@collinrugg Collin Rugg on x
JUST IN: Daniel Penny has been hired by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz in Silicon Valley, according to The Free Press. Congratulations! The firm was founded by Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz. In a statement to The Free Press, general partner David Ulevitch said the [v…
@lukethompson360 Luke Thompson on x
This is next fucking level lmao. Like FUCK OFF I swear to God Im defenstrating myself if some at A16Z ever utters the word meritocracy ever again
@jesse_brenneman Jesse Brenneman on x
I think there's a lot of stuff the ultra wealthy have believed privately for a long time but not felt comfortable sharing publicly, and I think we are going to be learning a lot more about those opinions in the coming months.
@octal Ryan Lackey on x
When Daniel Penny ends up becoming a massively successful investor and someone in the future who doesn't know his history asks “how did you get into VC” or “your life is so easy, you just got into VC because you grew up rich and went to a top school...” lol.
@olivia_reingold Olivia Reingold on x
To Andreessen Horowitz, Daniel Penny's actions on the subway in May 2023 weren't a liability but a strong sign of character. “Daniel acted with courage in a tough situation.”
@bariweiss Bari Weiss on x
SCOOP: Daniel Penny Gets Hired by Andreessen Horowitz “Daniel acted with courage in a tough situation,” said @a16z partner @davidu in a statement explaining the hire. https://www.thefp.com/...
@autismcapital @autismcapital on x
🚨BREAKING: Daniel Penny, the NYC Subway Hero, is hired by Andreessen Horrowitz, Marc Andreessen's VC firm. “He will learn the business and learn to support our portfolio companies,” says GP David Ulevitch - FP Heck yeah, an American hero getting a chance to thrive. BASED! 🔥🇺🇸 [im…
@silvermanjacob Jacob Silverman on x
my god https://www.bloomberg.com/...
@samfbiddle Sam Biddle on x
Hiring a guy whose sole credential is ‘famously killed someone on the subway’ says a lot re: what we're really talking about when we talk about “American Dynamism”
@olivia_reingold Olivia Reingold on x
The pundits said that Daniel Penny would struggle to bounce back—even after a jury acquitted him of all charges. They were wrong.
@coreywriting Corey Walker on x
Daniel Penny deserved to walk free, but this just reeks of a virtue signal by Marc Andreesen. Penny has no qualifications, but will “learn the business of investing.” Ok.
@phil_lewis_ Philip Lewis on x
Venture firm Andreessen Horowitz has hired Daniel Penny, the man who killed Jordan Neely on an NYC subway. He was studying architecture before the killing. https://techcrunch.com/...
@devahaz Deva Hazarika on x
It actually makes sense to me that Penny could be better than a lot of their existing team to be pals with Hegseth and cops, but also lol [image]
@negroprogrammer @negroprogrammer on x
We got white Cultural Leadership Fund before GTA 6
@cremieuxrecueil @cremieuxrecueil on x
I am genuinely happy to see someone whose life might have been otherwise ruined getting a second chance at a career.
@paul_hundred @paul_hundred on x
“How does he do it, Jerry? He's dating models. He's working at Andreessen Horowitz. I would KILL to live like Daniel Penny!” “I think that's the idea” [image]
@basedbaront @basedbaront on x
I would kill to work at a16z too
@gritgrowthcap @gritgrowthcap on x
everybody trying to get an interview at a16z: [image]
@teddypowday Teddy Blank on x
A good reminder that a16z is effectively a propaganda org at this point (as is any mega firm worth its salt)
@coldhealing @coldhealing on x
He didn't even have to walk in and give the manager a firm handshake because they already knew he had a strong grip.
@falconryfinance @falconryfinance on x
Look at how Daniel Penny is treated vs Luigi Mangioni
@dipwheeler Dip Wheeler on x
Daniel Penny is on a generational run. [image]
@schrockn Nick Schrock on x
An a16z partner watches Rome and gets to the episode where Caesar makes Lucius Vorenius a Senator Thinks “What's the VC version of that?” Comes up with this.
@kylekashuv Kyle Kashuv on x
Really nice to see Daniel Penny get a soft landing by a16z. The Right should do more of this. Each time the Left cancels someone only for them to get a comfortable placement — they will lose more of their power. Eventually the sting of a media smear cycle will have none. This
@inyouendohs @inyouendohs on x
i heard sequoia is looking to hire derek chauvin
@robkhenderson Rob Henderson on x
Daniel Penny hired at Andreessen Horowitz. The lengths people will go to get a job in VC is truly incredible.
@irlhandshake @irlhandshake on x
Its our boy, Deal Partner Daniel Penny [image]
@zlingerrr @zlingerrr on x
disgusting doesn't capture the profound evil on display here. murder a homeless person, get a once in a lifetime shot to join the wealthy elite despite possessing no relevant skills to their so called business. allsome.
@armanddoma Armand Domalewski on x
if you read between the lines of the Daniel Penny job announcement, he's gonna be a MAGA world lobbyist for A16z's defense tech portfolio
r/samharris r on reddit
Andreessen Horowitz Hires Daniel Penny after Killing Jordan Neely
r/FinancialCareers r on reddit
Daniel Penny Gets Hired by Andreessen Horowitz
r/nottheonion r on reddit
Daniel Penny Gets Hired by Andreessen Horowitz

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