Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) General Partner Calls India Office Expansion Reports ‘Entirely Fake News’ Amid Global Strategy Shift
The prominent Venture Capital (VC) firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) has officially refuted widespread local media speculation suggesting imminent plans to establish a physical office in India. An a16z General Partner directly addressed the coverage, labelling the reports as “entirely fake news.”
Earlier this Thursday, multiple Indian media outlets reported with confidence that a16z was actively preparing to set up a new office in Bengaluru, often referred to as India’s Silicon Valley. These reports, which cited information from unnamed sources, additionally claimed that the powerful firm was in the advanced process of hiring a dedicated local partner to manage the new operations.
However, Anish Acharya, a key Bay Area-based General Partner at a16z who has been with the firm for the last six years, quickly moved to dismiss the persistent rumors. He wrote on X: “As much as I adore India and the many impressive founders + investors in the region, this is entirely fake news!” When subsequently contacted by reporters, an a16z spokesperson confirmed and affirmed Acharya’s statement, referencing his public post as the firm’s official position.
This clear denial comes amidst a broader strategic adjustment concerning a16z’s international ambitions. Earlier this year, the firm made a significant decision to shut down its London office, a base that had only opened in 2023. This London closure occurred just 18 months after the firm set up shop, and notably, came after the U.K. government reportedly spent five years trying to court the influential powerhouse, according to reports by the outlet Sifted. The firm cited an evolving shift in strategy and more favorable regulatory developments back in the United States as reasons for the closure. Despite these physical office closures, the firm emphasized that it would continue to actively invest internationally using remote teams and its established local networks. Subsequent reports indicated that several of its network of scouts remained active across Europe, maintaining the firm’s investment presence.
To date, India has not constituted a major investment focus for Andreessen Horowitz—a stark contrast to other leading U.S. venture firms like Accel, General Catalyst, and Lightspeed Venture Partners, all of which have made deep, sustained inroads into the expansive Indian market. a16z’s sole notable Indian market bet has been the prominent crypto exchange CoinSwitch, which the VC firm backed as part of the company’s massive $260 million funding round in 2021. In the months that immediately followed that investment, a16z was reported to be seeking opportunities to invest approximately $500 million in Indian startups, though the firm has not publicly made any other major new investments in the country since.
As TechCrunch has previously documented, a16z co-founder and General Partner Marc Andreessen delivered a memorable talk at the Stanford Graduate School of Business many years ago, where he acknowledged that while it is “extremely tempting” to back startups in emerging markets, it also presents significant operational challenges for a venture fund to expand to too many countries. He emphasized that Venture Capital is fundamentally a “very hands-on process” that requires deeply understanding the people involved for both evaluating the company and diligently working with the company’s team.
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