This new initiative combines academic research with the production of ideas and their implementation in companies and startups.
A16z Announces It Will Do Blockchain-Related Academic Research
Andreessen Horowitz is an investment firm that has made a lot of money in crypto and Web3 startups. They have launched the a16z crypto lab to address the sector’s challenges. According to the company, the Web3 and crypto sector is “a new frontier in tech” and has evolved into an independent field that combines elements from computer science, economics and finance.
The potential that the blockchain environment holds for VC firms is what fuels their determination to try to solve all of the problems facing the crypto ecosystem. They also have the ability to test these solutions. A16z said:
An industrial research lab is available to bridge academic theory and industry practice. It will also help to shape crypto and web3 formal study areas by bringing together top research talent from all relevant disciplines.
Tim Roughgarden (researcher and computer science professor at Stanford, Columbia and Columbia) will lead the lab. Dan Boneh (professor of computer science at Standford and also director of the Center for Blockchain Research) will oversee the lab.
Practical Focus in Mind
A16z created this initiative with a practical approach in mind. The solutions found through investigation will be applied to companies in which A16z has significant investments.
The a16z crypto lab will include four teams that are responsible for helping companies within the portfolio to generate ideas, implement solutions in code and comply with regulations.
The company set a goal to raise $4.5Billion for two separate crypto-related funds in January. $1B of that money will be used to finance new startups in this field.