US VC big Andreessen Horowitz — which has about $35 billion in property underneath administration — is to open its first (sure, the primary) worldwide workplace in London, led by one of many agency’s normal companions, Sriram Krishnan. The workplace will deal with supporting the event of crypto, blockchain applied sciences and related web3 startups. a16z has dedicated $7.6 billion to crypto startups globally.
Chris Dixon, who leads a16z’s crypto investments, mentioned: “London is a serious monetary hub, it’s a serious tech hub and admittedly it’s a really engaging place for folks to reside. You simply must get it to a essential mass to essentially get it going and we’re hoping that we will change into part of that and nudge [London] into being a extra energetic hub of know-how.”
His feedback might come as a slight shock to the quite a few VCs and unicorns which have exploded from town within the final 15 or so years. That mentioned, he mentioned the choice got here after a “productive dialogue” with the U.Ok. prime minister, HM Treasury, U.Ok. policymakers, and the Monetary Conduct Authority.
The transfer comes at a time when the SEC has been cracking down on the crypto trade, suing cryptocurrency exchanges Coinbase and Binance for allegedly breaching its guidelines. London’s lengthy historical past within the finance world, massive fintech centre and softer regulatory strategy to crypto has virtually actually performed into a16z’s pondering on this strategic transfer.
Dixon mentioned the UK’s “considerate strategy” to crypto contrasted with the authorized uncertainty within the US, though the agency reaffirmed its commitments to US crypto firms. “Our evaluation is the UK is forward of the curve and instituting [crypto] insurance policies that can finally turning into a world customary,” he added.
The UK authorities has already made noise about making a extra hospitable local weather for web3 in comparison with the US, eager as it’s to reestablish London as a fintech centre after the lack of a lot EU-based finance enterprise.
London has misplaced public listings, blocked mergers, and been criticised by exiting entrepreneurs equivalent to Monzo founder Tom Blomfield, whereas the enchantment of rival European capitals, equivalent to Paris, has grown. Based on VC agency Atomico, the UK has additionally suffered a 57 p.c drop in tech funding this yr, the sharpest decline amongst large European markets, in contrast with the primary half of 2022.
Nevertheless, the UK seems to be on a mission to draw crypto companies, creating a regulatory framework for digital property buying and selling that falls nearer to requirements for securities equivalent to shares and bonds than within the US.
Rishi Sunak, UK prime minister, mentioned in an announcement that he was “thrilled” at Andreessen Horowitz’s arrival, which he mentioned was “testomony to our world-class universities and expertise and our robust aggressive enterprise setting.” Sunak added that a16z’s growth was right down to having the “proper regulation and guardrails” to “foster innovation.”
Andreessen Horowitz is, nevertheless, fairly late to the European occasion, coming over a yr after Sequoia arrange its London workplace, amongst different US corporations.
Along with the brand new workplace, a16z has additionally introduced its plan to launch a brand new “Crypto Startup Faculty” (CSS) program in London within the spring (March to June) of 2024.
In a speech to open London Tech Week, Sunak additionally added that he needed the UK to be the “geographical house of worldwide AI security regulation.” He plans to ascertain a world AI watchdog in London.
Individually, Gensyn, a supplier of blockchain-based computing sources for AI secured a $43 million, Sequence A funding spherical, led by a16z.
