Business Development Partner, GTM Technology Network, Japan

As a Business Development Partner for the GTM Technology Network at a16z, you will build and cultivate direct, high-trust relationships with technical and product leadership (VP/Head of Engineering, Head of AI, CPO/VP Product, and similar roles) at leading digital native and growth technology organizations. You will establish a16z as a valuable and trusted partner by delivering meaningful value through relevant insights, thought leadership, peer connections, and exposure to innovative companies across the a16z ecosystem. Working as part of the a16z Go-to-Market team, you will advise portfolio companies on navigating, partnering with, and selling to these organizations, playing a crucial role in accelerating their go-to-market efforts and time to revenue.

What you'll do

• Build and cultivate strategic, positive relationships with a network of technology decision makers, understanding their business challenges and connecting them to portfolio companies and partners to help solve these challenges
• Develop and continuously refine an approach to building access and trust with key technical leaders, aligned to portfolio company GTM priorities
• Lead efforts to build these key relationships through creative engagements, including hosting dinners, receptions, and industry-focused events to bring together the corporate network, firm, and portfolio
• Develop long-term relationships with portfolio companies and connect a16z portfolio companies to the technology network through introductions, meetings, corporate briefings, events, and conferences
• Collaborate cross-functionally with internal teams to align on business development initiatives and firm-wide goals
• Stay abreast of a16z investment areas, industry trends, and portfolio investments, leveraging insights to drive business opportunities

What you bring

• 15+ years in roles that required building and maintaining relationships with senior technical leaders in digital native and growth tech companies, through business development, sales, ecosystem partnerships, or related roles
• Experience working in or closely with digital native and growth tech companies spanning infrastructure, AI, data, or SaaS, with exposure to engineering or product leadership
• A strong understanding of how technology buying decisions are made (top-down and bottom-up), with a track record of building trusted, enduring relationships
• Working knowledge of modern technology stacks including infrastructure, cloud, AI, data, and security, and their applications
• Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills, with a focus on detail and executive presence
• The ability to discern industry needs and trends, and effectively communicate insights to investment partners
• Established executive relationships within the technology sector and a strong ability to independently manage those relationships
• A proven ability to self-start, operate autonomously, manage multiple priorities, independently contribute, deal with ambiguity, and execute consistently
• Low ego, high empathy, and the capacity to collaborate effectively with diverse teams
• Strong analytical thinking skills, with the ability to seek and understand data to build and execute strategy

What we offer

• In-office presence 3-4 days a week in the Tokyo, Japan office

About a16z

Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) is a venture capital firm founded in 2009 by Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, backing bold entrepreneurs building the future through technology. The firm invests in seed to venture to growth-stage technology companies across AI, bio and healthcare, consumer, enterprise, fintech, frontier, games, and American dynamism, with over $100B under management across multiple funds. a16z has invested in companies including Anduril, Airbnb, Coinbase, Cursor, Databricks, Deel, Figma, GitHub, Roblox, SpaceX, and Stripe.