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Andrew Chen

Andrew Chen

General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz; writer on growth & network effects

andrewchen
Los Angeles, California
Joined August 2025
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Network

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Summary

Deep expertise in growth, product-led growth, and network effects: Andrew led Uber's Rider Growth teams during a critical scaling period and has spent his public career codifying growth playbooks and frameworks (viral loops, retention, launch tactics). His operational experience underpins his investing and writing. andrewchen+2
Prolific writer and teacher: Andrew publishes long-form essays and a Substack newsletter that are widely read by founders and PMs. He also teaches and contributes curriculum at Reforge — positioning him as both a practitioner and educator in growth/product. substack+2
Operator → investor trajectory with a focus on consumer, entertainment, and games: After founding and leading startups and holding senior growth roles, Andrew moved to venture as a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, where he leads investments and board work in consumer, creator, gaming, and entertainment companies. a16z+2
Quantitative and product marketing foundation: A B.S. in Applied Mathematics, combined with early product marketing and adtech roles, gives Andrew a data-driven approach to growth, product metrics, and experimentation—reflected in his writing and investor diligence. andrewchen+1

Work

Education

Projects

Writing

The Cold Start Problem: How to Start and Scale Network Effects

December 1, 2021

A book that synthesizes interviews and case studies on how products launch and scale network effects — offers frameworks and playbooks for overcoming the 'cold start' challenge.

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Featured Essays / Growth essays archive

A large collection of essays on growth, viral loops, retention, marketplaces, and product strategy that have influenced founders and growth practitioners.

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Hobbies

Long-form writing and public speaking on startups, growth, and product strategy (frequent newsletter posts, podcasts, and talks). substack+1

Notes

SCSai Chaitanya Psaid that if they were building a startup in SF,
ACAndrew Chen
would be one of their top choices as a VC investor.

Mar 9, 2026

AKArya Kannasaid they've seen
ACAndrew Chen
consistently share valuable insights or original content on Substack.

Feb 19, 2026

AKArya Kannasaid
ACAndrew Chen
is one of the best early-stage GTM leaders they know at building and launching go-to-market strategies from scratch.

Feb 18, 2026

DDDerek Dolinsaid they would recommend
ACAndrew Chen
as an investor for early-stage startups.

Feb 12, 2026

DGDaniel Greensaid they've seen
ACAndrew Chen
make a serious impact as part of an investment group or firm.

Feb 10, 2026

ADAbel Dagnesaid
ACAndrew Chen
stands out to them as one of the best investors attending Silicon Valley Investors.

Feb 9, 2026

AGAleksandr Guskovsaid that if they were founding a consumer social app at pre-seed or seed stage,
ACAndrew Chen
would be among the top investors they'd want on board.

Feb 7, 2026

DGDaniel Greensaid
ACAndrew Chen
is one of the most thoughtful early-stage investors they've worked with, especially for consumer social apps.

Jan 29, 2026

SCSangam Chapagain said they've seen
ACAndrew Chen
go above and beyond to help founders succeed.

Dec 18, 2025

MMMacy Millssaid
ACAndrew Chen
has played a key role in helping early consumer network social startups succeed.

Dec 10, 2025

AGAleksandr Guskovsaid
ACAndrew Chen
is one of the strongest marketplace GTM leaders they've worked with.

Dec 6, 2025

DGDaniel Greensaid
ACAndrew Chen
is one of the best VCs they've worked with in terms of judgment and founder support.

Nov 22, 2025

AKAzamat Khamidovsaid they've seen
ACAndrew Chen
make a significant positive impact as a venture capitalist.

Nov 21, 2025

RWRegina Waltonsaid that if they were starting a new company, they would choose
ACAndrew Chen
to lead the first round.

Oct 22, 2025

JDJakob Diepenbrocksaid
ACAndrew Chen
played an impactful role as an a16z Speedrun scout.

Sep 25, 2025

DDDrew Dillonsaid
ACAndrew Chen
is one of the most insightful early-stage investors they've seen when it comes to voice AI and consumer products.

Aug 13, 2025

MMMacy Millssaid they would trust
ACAndrew Chen
to lead an early-stage investment in a complex technical startup.

Aug 8, 2025

YCYujin Chungsaid they've seen
ACAndrew Chen
build valuable partnerships or networks that have created real opportunities for others.

Jul 31, 2025