The a16z Show
Rebuilding The American Shipyard
The a16z Show discusses tech and culture trends, news, and the future – especially as ‘software eats the world’. It features industry experts, business leaders, and other interesting thinkers and voices from around the world. This show is produced by Andreessen Horowitz (aka “a16z”), a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm. Multiple episodes are released every week; visit a16z.com for more details and to sign up for our newsletters and other content as well!
Show Notes
Erin Price-Wright speaks with Michael Duffey and Dino Mavrookas about what it will take to rebuild the American defense industrial base for a new era of competition. As production capacity becomes a central constraint, they outline how the system must shift toward speed, scale, and modern manufacturing.
The conversation covers the role of autonomy in both defense systems and industrial processes, and how new approaches to design, labor, and production can dramatically reduce cost and complexity. Mavrookas explains how building for software and autonomy enables entirely new classes of platforms, while Duffey emphasizes the need for structural changes in how the Department of Defense works with industry.
They also discuss the importance of commercial markets in supporting defense capabilities, the fragility of existing supply chains, and why aligning private capital with national priorities is essential to long-term resilience.
Resources:
Follow Michael on X: https://x.com/USDASDuffey
Follow Dino on X: https://x.com/MavrookasD
Follow Erin on X: https://x.com/espricewright
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