a16z Partner Kofi Ampadu To Leave Firm After TxO Program Pause
Kofi Ampadu leaves a16z months after the firm paused its TxO program supporting underserved founders. What this signals for VC diversity efforts.
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a16z Partner Kofi Ampadu To Leave Firm After TxO Program Pause
Kofi Ampadu Exits a16z Following TxO Program Pause Kofi Ampadu, the a16z partner who led the firm's Talent x Opportunity (TxO) initiative for over four years, has departed the venture capital giant. His exit follows an indefinite pause of the TxO program last November that included layoffs across the team. Ampadu confirmed his departure in an internal message describing his work identifying "out-of-network entrepreneurs" as among the most meaningful of his career—a poignant close to an ambitious experiment in democratizing access to Silicon Valley's elite funding circles. Credit: Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket / Getty Images The End of an Experiment in Inclusive Venture Capital When a16z launched TxO in 2020, it represented a bold attempt to address venture capital's persistent diversity gap. Unlike traditional accelerators requiring warm introductions or Ivy League pedigrees, TxO actively sought founders from overlooked backgrounds—first-generation immigrants…
