a16z Elevates Jennifer Li to Co-Lead the New $1.25B Infrastructure Fund

‍a16z appoints Jennifer Li as co-lead for the new $1.25B Infrastructure Fund. This move signals the firm's strategic investment in infrastructure projects and acknowledges Li's expertise in the field. Her elevation reflects a commitment to innovation and growth within the infrastructure sector.‍

Powerhouse venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz has announced the promotion of Jennifer Li to the position of general partner, following her six-year tenure with the company. Li's appointment comes as she is set to play a key role in investing activities for the newly established $1.25 billion Infrastructure fund, managed by longtime a16z general partner Martin Casado.

The Infrastructure fund is a component of the recently raised $7.2 billion fund by the Silicon Valley VC giant. Having served as an investing partner on the Infrastructure team for some time, Li has already been actively involved in investment decisions and board engagements. However, her elevation to the position of general partner marks a significant milestone in her career, placing her among the esteemed ranks of the firm's leadership. Notably, Li achieves this career milestone while still in her early thirties, underscoring her exceptional achievements and contributions within the industry.

Although Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) boasts over 500 employees, the number of general partners (GPs) is relatively small, with Jennifer Li becoming the 27th GP at the firm. Notably, within the Infrastructure team, Li joins only three other GPs: Anjney Midha, who joined last summer; Zane Lackey, who has been with the firm for two years; and Martin Casado, the longtime general partner overseeing the team.

According to Casado, Li's promotion to general partner signifies a significant increase in her authority in deal making, as well as her influence on the team's culture, investment philosophy, and operational strategies. In a statement to TechCrunch via email, Casado highlighted Li's instrumental role in building the infrastructure investing team, emphasizing her remarkable qualities as a collaborative and dependable partner.

In his blog post announcing Li's promotion, Casado praised her as a dedicated and humble colleague, noting her attention to detail and willingness to tackle challenges head-on. He also underscored her embodiment of the a16z culture, as previously highlighted by Ben Horowitz, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz.

During her tenure at a16z, Jennifer Li has played a pivotal role in identifying and nurturing high-potential startups, contributing significantly to the firm's success. Some notable achievements include her involvement in identifying data connectivity startup Fivetran, which achieved a remarkable valuation of $5.6 billion in 2021, and data analytics developer tool startup dbt, which reached a valuation of $4.2 billion in 2022. Both of these deals were led by Martin Casado, demonstrating Li's collaborative approach within the firm.

Additionally, Li has spearheaded the firm's investments in several promising ventures. Notable among these are developer-focused video platform Mux, which attained unicorn status in 2021; database startup MotherDuck, valued at $400 million earlier this year; and AI voice startup ElevenLabs, which achieved unicorn status in January. Li's active involvement extends beyond mere investment, as she also serves on the board of ElevenLabs, underscoring her commitment to nurturing the growth of these companies.

Prior to her tenure at a16z, Li held leadership positions at various notable companies. She led product development at AI startup Solvvy, which was acquired by Zoom in 2022. Earlier in her career, Li led self-service and analytics products at AppDynamics, a company subsequently acquired by Cisco for $3.7 billion. Additionally, she gained valuable experience as a Kleiner Perkins Product Fellow in 2016, further enriching her background in product development and innovation.

Source: techcrunch‍