Martin Casado
InvestorGeneral Partner at Andreessen Horowitz · Board director at Phaze · Board Member (a16z) at Tabular Technologies, Inc. · Board director at Fly.io
Woodside, CA
Writes $500K – $40M checks · typically $20M
About
Martin Casado co-founded software-defined networking pioneer Nicira, which VMware bought for $1.26 billion in 2012, before joining Andreessen Horowitz in 2016 to lead its infrastructure practice. He has become one of the firm's most prominent voices on AI, backing companies such as Cursor, World Labs, Thinking Machines and Safe Superintelligence. He holds a PhD in computer science from Stanford and began his career at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Contact· self-published, not guessed
Likely email· guessed from name + firm domain, not firm-published
- m•••@a16z.comreveal75% confident
Invests in
AI & Machine LearningBiotechConsumerCrypto & Web3Defense Tech
Beyond investing
- Founded
- Casado co-founded Nicira Networks in 2007, a network virtualization company later acquired by VMware for $1.26 billion. Casado co-founded Illuminics Systems, an IP analytics company acquired by Quova Inc. in 2006.
- Education
- Studied at Northern Arizona University (Bachelor's, 2000) Studied at Stanford University (Masters, Computer Science, 2007)
- Awards
- Casado received the ACM Grace Murray Hopper Award. Casado was awarded the NEC C&C Award. Casado is an inductee of the Lawrence Livermore Lab's Entrepreneur's Hall of Fame. Casado received an honorary doctorate from Northern Arizona University in 2017.
- More
- Casado was a pioneer of software-defined networking and began development of the OpenFlow protocol while at Stanford. Casado was born around 1976 in Cartagena, Spain.
From published sources — common ground for a warm intro.
Board director at Phaze
Intro paths
In turn, Martin can intro founders to Phaze's investors below.
Board Member (a16z) at Tabular Technologies, Inc.
Intro paths
In turn, Martin can intro founders to Tabular Technologies, Inc.'s investors below.
Tabular Technologies, Inc.'s investors · 1
Co-founders at Tabular Technologies, Inc.
Board director at Fly.ioYC W20
Intro paths
Martin went through Y Combinator (Winter 2020) — any YC alum in your network can reach them through the YC community.
Their group partner at YC was Jared Friedman, YC Group Partner — the partner who ran Fly.io's batch and knows the company first-hand. YC profile ↗
In turn, Martin can intro founders to Fly.io's investors below.
Fly.io's investors · 11
Co-founders at Fly.io
Experience
- Andreessen HorowitzGeneral Partnercurrent2016 — present
- VMWareGM Networking and Security, SVP and Fellow2014 — 2016Palo Alto
- VMWareCTO for Networking and Security2012 — 2014
- Stanford UniversityConsulting Assistant Professor2008 — 2015
- Nicira Networks, Inc.Founder and CTO2007 — 2012
- Stanford UniversityPhD Student2003 — 2007
- Lawrence Livermore National LaboratoryComputer Scientist2000 — 2006
Deals · 10
Fly.ioBoard seat
via Andreessen Horowitz · filed Jul 2026 · $25M raise
PhazeBoard seat
via Andreessen Horowitz · filed Jan 2025 · $8.9M raise
KongBoard seat
via Andreessen Horowitz · filed Aug 2024 · $100M raise
Rasa TechnologiesBoard seat
via Andreessen Horowitz · filed Feb 2024 · $30M raise
Tabular Technologies, Inc.Board seat
via Andreessen Horowitz · filed Dec 2023 · $26M raise
Orbit Labs, Inc.Board seat
via Andreessen Horowitz · filed Nov 2022 · $5M raise
R SoftwareBoard seat
via Andreessen Horowitz · filed Mar 2022 · $200M raise
Astranis Space Technologies Corp.Board seat
via Andreessen Horowitz · filed Apr 2021 · $280.8M raise
Unmanned InnovationBoard seat
via Andreessen Horowitz · filed Apr 2018 · $20M raise
Fishtown AnalyticsLed round
via Andreessen Horowitz · filed Nov 2019
Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters.
Other disclosed investments
Board seats
ActionIQAmbient.aiAstranisBraintrustCoactiveConvexCursordbt LabsDeepMap.aiFivetranIdeogramImplyIsovalentMaterial SecurityMetronomeNetlifyOrbitParsec GamingPindropPindrop SecurityPresetTabularTackle.ioTalaria ScientificTruffle SecurityWorld LabsYubico
Sources: SEC Form D filings · curated public sources.
Podcasts & interviews
featuring Martin Casadoa16z GP, Martin Casado: Anthropic vs OpenAI & Why Open Source is a National Security Risk with China
20VC with Harry Stebbings
Inside AI’s $10B+ Capital Flywheel — Martin Casado & Sarah Wang of a16z
Latent Space
"This feels like 1996": Why a16z's Martin Casado believes the AI boom still has years to run
The Generalist
Inside a16z’s $1.25B Infra Bet | Martin Casado, General Partner at a16z
Uncapped with Jack Altman
Jack Altman & Martin Casado on the Future of Venture Capital
a16z
a16z’s Martin Casado - Building with AI
World of DaaS with Auren Hoffman
6 more appearances
- Why AI regulation is every startup's business, with Andreessen Horowitz Martin Casado | TC Disrupt242024-10-28
- Growth, Sales and a New Era of B2B by Martin Casado, Andreessen Horowitz2019-04-05
- Fireside Chat: Martin Casado, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz (FirstMark's Data Driven NYC)2019-03-19
- Growth, Sales, and a New Era of B2B. Martin Casado, Andreessen Horowitz - BANCO SABADELL2019-03-05
- Keynote: Make SDN Real - Martin Casado, General Partner, Andreessen Horowitz2017-04-11
- Martin Casado, Andreessen Horowitz | Open Networking Summit 20172017-04-04
Colleagues at Andreessen Horowitz
Network7
Investors connected to Martin in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Martin Casado?
- Martin Casado co-founded software-defined networking pioneer Nicira, which VMware bought for $1.26 billion in 2012, before joining Andreessen Horowitz in 2016 to lead its infrastructure practice. He has become one of the firm's most prominent voices on AI, backing companies such as Cursor, World Labs, Thinking Machines and Safe Superintelligence. He holds a PhD in computer science from Stanford and began his career at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
- Where does Martin Casado work?
- Martin Casado is General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz and Board director at Phaze and Board Member (a16z) at Tabular Technologies, Inc. and Board director at Fly.io.
- What does Martin Casado invest in?
- Martin Casado invests in AI & Machine Learning, Biotech, Consumer, Crypto & Web3, Defense Tech.
- What check size does Martin Casado write?
- Martin Casado typically writes checks of $500K – $40M.
- What boards does Martin Casado sit on?
- Martin Casado holds tracked board seats at ActionIQ, Ambient.ai, Astranis, Astranis Space Technologies Corp., Braintrust, Coactive, Convex, Cursor, dbt Labs, DeepMap.ai.
- Where did Martin Casado go to school?
- Martin Casado studied at Stanford University (PhD, Computer Science); Stanford University (Masters, Computer Science); Northern Arizona University (Bachelors, Computer Science).
- What awards has Martin Casado received?
- Casado received the ACM Grace Murray Hopper Award. Casado was awarded the NEC C&C Award. Casado is an inductee of the Lawrence Livermore Lab's Entrepreneur's Hall of Fame. Casado received an honorary doctorate from Northern Arizona University in 2017.
- What podcasts and interviews feature Martin Casado?
- Tracked appearances include "a16z GP, Martin Casado: Anthropic vs OpenAI & Why Open Source is a National Security Risk with China", "Inside AI’s $10B+ Capital Flywheel — Martin Casado & Sarah Wang of a16z", ""This feels like 1996": Why a16z's Martin Casado believes the AI boom still has years to run", and 9 more.
Paths to reach Martin
People who overlapped with Martin at the same organization — a shared school or employer with one of them is a warm way in.
Together at Andreessen HorowitzMartin: General Partner
Same school
Also attended Stanford University2,000
+ 1,994 more
Shared employers
Also worked at VMWare116
+ 110 more
Also worked at Stanford University722
+ 716 more
Also worked at Nicira Networks, Inc.3
Also worked at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory19
+ 13 more