DOJ Probes Andreessen Horowitz Board Seats Under Old Antitrust Law

The Department of Justice has reportedly been investigating Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) for nearly a year regarding its partners holding board seats in competing companies. This probe, which revives a rarely used 112-year-old antitrust law, focuses on arrangements where a16z partners sit on the boards of companies that have become direct competitors.

Specifically, the investigation is looking into the dual board positions held by Ben Horowitz at Databricks and Martin Casado at Fivetran. While board conflicts are not uncommon in venture capital, the DOJ's interest suggests a potential concern about anti-competitive practices, particularly as the companies involved have evolved into rivals since a16z's initial investments.