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Some Black startup founders interviewed by TechCrunch said they felt betrayed or reconsidered whether they wanted Andreessen Horowitz co-founders Ben Horowitz and Marc Andreessen as investors after the pair publicly supported Donald Trump in 2024. Others were unsurprised or said political differences would not stop them from accepting investment. These were distinct views from seven interviewees—not a survey of Black founders as a whole.
Why did some founders feel betrayed?
For some interviewees, the reaction was shaped by Horowitz’s earlier reputation as an advocate for the Black community. TechCrunch reported that he had taken part in community events and cultivated public relationships with Black figures. That history raised expectations for some founders, making his political support feel like a break with the allyship they believed he represented.
Khadijah Robinson, founder of The Nile List, drew a distinction between visibility and support: “The proximity to Black figures has never equaled allyship.” David Mullings, founder of Blue Mahoe Holdings, said Horowitz’s reputation could suffer among Black people who believed he did not understand their lived experience: “His reputation will definitely take a hit among well-thinking Black people because it shows that he doesn’t actually understand our lived experiences.”
A Nigerian American founder who asked to remain anonymous over career concerns described the choice as prioritizing personal benefit: “It appears personal interest and profit supersedes people.” That was the interviewee’s interpretation, not an independently established account of the investors’ motives.
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Would founders still take investment from Andreessen Horowitz?
The interviewees did not give one answer. Some said the public support affected how they viewed the investors or prompted them to consider alternatives. Tobi Ajala, founder of TechTee, said: “It has caused more Black founders to consider what the options are other than obvious choices.”
Other interviewees were not surprised by the investors’ politics, while some said it would not prevent them from accepting capital. Their differing responses reflect a practical tension: founders may object to an investor’s politics or worry about what those politics signal, yet still weigh available funding against the needs of a company. The article does not establish how any particular founder ultimately made a financing decision.
What did Horowitz say motivated his support?
TechCrunch reported that Horowitz cited Trump’s positions on cryptocurrency regulation and taxes as reasons for his support. Andreessen Horowitz declined to comment to the publication, and Horowitz did not respond to its request for comment.
What policy concerns did founders raise?
In the July 2024 report, interviewees raised concerns about immigration, federal diversity, equity and inclusion policy, education, climate, and Project 2025. These were concerns expressed in that reporting context, not proof of the present status or effects of any policy. TechCrunch also reported that Trump sought to distance himself from Project 2025.
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What the article does—and does not—show
TechCrunch reporter Dominic-Madori Davis published the account on July 20, 2024, based on interviews with seven Black founders and investors. It documents a range of reactions to the public Trump support of both Andreessen Horowitz co-founders, not a consensus among Black founders or a representative poll. Its account captures what those sources said at the time; it does not establish their current views.
One anonymous founder described having a “less than 2% shot of raising as it stands today.” That figure is the source’s personal estimate, not an independently verified statistic about Black founders’ fundraising prospects. The article offers no basis for applying it to founders generally.
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Read TechCrunch’s July 20, 2024 report.
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