Episode 4
Available nowGo First and Go Positive
Joe Schmidt, Partner, Andreessen Horowitz·August 13, 2026·77 min
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Joe Schmidt, partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), joins Kyle Nakatsuji to talk about building and backing companies at the intersection of AI, fintech, and insurance — and the operating philosophy he keeps coming back to: go first and go positive.
Drawing on his path from insurance operator to investor, Joe unpacks how he evaluates founders tackling legacy industries, where AI is genuinely changing the economics of insurance and financial services, and why the instinct to lead with generosity and optimism compounds over the long run.
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