Marc Lowell Andreessen

Entrepreneur • Investor • Software Engineer

Born: July 9, 1971 (Cedar Falls, Iowa) • Net Worth: $1.9B (2025)

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Early Life & Education

  • Born in Cedar Falls, Iowa; grew up in New Lisbon, Wisconsin
  • Self-taught BASIC programming as a teenager
  • Earned a BS in Computer Science from the University of Illinois (1993)

Career Highlights

  • Co-created Mosaic, the first graphical web browser
  • Co-founded Netscape (1994), IPO in 1995
  • Founded LoudCloud (later Opsware), sold to HP for $1.6B
  • Co-founded Andreessen Horowitz (2009), a leading VC firm
  • Invested in Facebook, Twitter, GitHub, and Coinbase

Controversies

  • Criticized for techno-optimism, dismissing societal concerns
  • Accused of hypocrisy for benefiting from government-backed tech
  • Linked to Dark Enlightenment figures like Curtis Yarvin
  • Advocated for unrestrained techno-capitalism
  • Criticized identity politics as "ancestor worship"

Political Connections

  • Advised Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago
  • Collaborated with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy
  • Involved in Neom, Saudi Arabia's futuristic city project
  • Shaped cryptocurrency and fintech policies
  • No direct election funding, but significant political influence

Dark Enlightenment

  • Cited Curtis Yarvin (Mencius Moldbug) in writings
  • Listed Nick Land as a "patron saint" of techno-optimism
  • Promoted ideas aligning with NRx philosophy
  • Criticized modern democracy and governance structures
  • Advocated for tech-driven societal restructuring

Net Worth & Recognition

  • Estimated net worth: $1.9B (2025)
  • Inducted into the World Wide Web Hall of Fame
  • Named to Time 100 most influential people (2012)
  • Awarded the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering (2013)
  • Active in AI, healthcare, and government efficiency initiatives
Deep Dive PDF

Sources: 10 verified public records • Data current as of 2025 Q1