A16z's "big venture" model was based on two core ideas: first, that Marc Andreessen's "Software is Eating the World" thesis would create 10x more viable companies, and second, that founders required a superior VC "product" with platform services that only scale could provide.

A16z's foundational belief is that founders, not hired "professional CEOs," should lead their companies long-term. The firm is structured as a network of specialists to provide founders with the knowledge and connections they lack, enabling them to grow into the CEO role and succeed.

BridgeBio's unique structure creates dedicated subsidiaries for each program. This empowers small, focused teams closest to the science to make key decisions—"play calling on the field"—without layers of bureaucracy. This model dramatically accelerates development, leading to unprecedented output of new drugs.

A16Z's transformation from a small, generalist partnership to a large, specialized firm was a deliberate answer to a fundamental industry problem: the traditional partner model doesn't scale for deploying capital and making decisions in today's massive, professionalized venture market.

PostHog manages its 16+ product suite by assigning small, autonomous teams of roughly three engineers to each product. This "compound startup" approach allows them to go wide, competing with multiple point solutions while remaining flat and avoiding bureaucracy. The small team structure fosters ownership and rapid development.

YC intentionally groups deep tech and defense tech companies into the same office-hour sections. This creates a specialized peer group—a 'brain trust' of founders working on missiles, submarines, and robotics—fostering a unique support system for those tackling exceptionally hard problems.

To avoid bureaucratic bloat, organize the company into small, self-sufficient "pods" of no more than 10 people. Each pod owns a specific problem and includes all necessary roles. Performance is judged solely on the pod's impact, mimicking an early-stage startup's focus.

To combat communication breakdown at scale, Capital Group deliberately disaggregated its equity team into three distinct, firewalled units of about 100 professionals each. This ensures investment discussions remain intimate and effective despite massive firm-wide AUM, forcing them to "stay small."

To tackle a paradigm shift like AI, Andreessen Horowitz goes beyond hiring new talent. The firm mandates internal education, including training materials and exams, to ensure every relevant team member becomes 'AI native.' This prevents existing talent from becoming obsolete and ensures deep, firm-wide understanding.