Ben Horowitz on the Global Race for Tech, Power, and Influence

Summary

Ben Horowitz, Anne Neuberger, Raghu Raghuram, and Jen Kha discuss a16z's global expansion strategy and why technology has become central to national power, economic growth, and security. They explain that products travel faster than companies, so startups must internationalize earlier, and that trusted American and Western models and AI infrastructure matter as countries modernize. The conversation covers priority geographies like Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and the Indo-Pacific, as well as cybersecurity, defense technology, and the ingredients needed to recreate Silicon Valley ecosystems.

• a16z is expanding globally to help portfolio companies internationalize earlier and partner with governments, investors, and businesses.
• Technology is now an arena of national power, with AI, cyber, and defense capabilities built largely by the private sector.
• American and Western technology and values are seen as important for trusted AI models and global adoption.
• Priority geographies include Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Canada, and the Indo-Pacific.
• AI is reshaping cybersecurity and defense, creating opportunities in cyber defense and autonomous systems.
• Countries need talent, business-friendly laws, and pro-entrepreneurship culture to build Silicon Valley-like ecosystems.
• The discussion highlights Saudi modernization, Mexico's nearshoring potential, and North Asia's top-heavy economies.