a16z (Andreessen Horowitz) · 2026-03-25 · 71d

Understanding Venture Capital Investment Criteria and Strategy

Marc Andreessen explains the fundamental mechanics of venture capital investing, arguing that VCs operate under specific constraints: raising large funds to deploy over 3-4 years with expectations of 10x returns within 4-6 years. The piece clarifies which startups should seek VC funding based on business model leverage and exit potential, and why VCs reject certain opportunities.

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Metrics in this report

Baseball Model - Base Hit Rate

2per 10 investments

expected

typical VC portfolio outcomes

Baseball Model - Home Run Rate

1per 10 investments

if lucky

typical VC portfolio outcomes

Baseball Model - Strikeout Rate

7per 10 investments

expected

typical VC portfolio outcomes

Expected Return Realization Horizon

4-6years

realistic

after date of funding

Fund Legal Lifespan

10years

maximum

venture capital funds

Investment Deployment Period

3-4years

typical

VC fund lifecycle

Minimum Return Multiple Required

10x

credible potential

per investment

Typical VC Fund Size

100+$ millions

minimum typical

venture capital funds