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A look inside the insanely successful life of Silicon Valley investor Marc Andreessen

A look inside the insanely successful life of Silicon Valley investor Marc Andreessen

Marc Andreessen grew up in the rural town of New Lisbon, Wisconsin. His dad, Lowell, worked for a seed company. His mom, Pat, worked for retailer Lands' End in customer service.

A look inside the insanely successful life of Silicon Valley investor Marc Andreessen

Andreessen doesn't like to talk about family: “We’ve never had a conversation about his parents or his brother—all he said was ‘They didn’t like me, and I didn’t like them all that much, either,'" a friend of Andreessen told The New Yorker's Tad Friend.

Andreessen doesn

When he was 9 years old, Andreessen taught himself BASIC programming from a library book. Once he hit high school, he'd already grown bored of his TRS-80, an early personal computer.

When he was 9 years old, Andreessen taught himself BASIC programming from a library book. Once he hit high school, he

Andreessen went to the University of Illinois in Champaign, where he studied computer science when he wasn't falling asleep in lecture or skipping class.

Andreessen went to the University of Illinois in Champaign, where he studied computer science when he wasn

In college, Andreessen spent two months working 80-hour weeks in a computer lab, building a Web browser he called Mosaic. He and his team gave away Mosaic to two million users for free.

In college, Andreessen spent two months working 80-hour weeks in a computer lab, building a Web browser he called Mosaic. He and his team gave away Mosaic to two million users for free.

This caught the attention of James Clark, founder of Silicon Graphics. He and Andreessen co-founded Netscape in 1994.

This caught the attention of James Clark, founder of Silicon Graphics. He and Andreessen co-founded Netscape in 1994.

In August 1995, Netscape went public, and at 24, Andreessen was suddenly worth $56 million. Four years later, AOL bought Netscape, and Andreessen briefly took a job as CTO, moving to a 7,000-square-foot home in Washington, DC.

In August 1995, Netscape went public, and at 24, Andreessen was suddenly worth $56 million. Four years later, AOL bought Netscape, and Andreessen briefly took a job as CTO, moving to a 7,000-square-foot home in Washington, DC.

When he left AOL, Andreessen formed a Web hosting company called Loudcloud with Ben Horowitz and others. The company changed its name to Opsware and sold to HP in 2007 for $1.6 billion.

When he left AOL, Andreessen formed a Web hosting company called Loudcloud with Ben Horowitz and others. The company changed its name to Opsware and sold to HP in 2007 for $1.6 billion.

Ben Horowitz and Marc Andreessen formed their Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz in 2009. They started with $300 million, and in 3 years, the firm grew to have $2.7 billion under management. The firm has made investments in companies like Facebook, Airbnb, GitHub, and Twitter that have paid off.

Ben Horowitz and Marc Andreessen formed their Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz in 2009. They started with $300 million, and in 3 years, the firm grew to have $2.7 billion under management. The firm has made investments in companies like Facebook, Airbnb, GitHub, and Twitter that have paid off.

In 2006, Andreessen married Laura Arrillaga, the daughter of Silicon Valley real estate tycoon John Arrillaga and the founder of the Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund.

In 2006, Andreessen married Laura Arrillaga, the daughter of Silicon Valley real estate tycoon John Arrillaga and the founder of the Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund.

He and Arrillaga live in a 9,000-square foot home filled with modern art in Atherton, just five minutes from Andreessen Horowitz's offices.

He and Arrillaga live in a 9,000-square foot home filled with modern art in Atherton, just five minutes from Andreessen Horowitz

Andreessen has been named to Vanity Fair's 2011 New Establishment List, Forbes' Midas List of tech's top investors, and the Time 100.

Andreessen has been named to Vanity Fair

Sources: Time, Vanity Fair, Forbes

In 2012, Andreessen Horowitz's general partners, including Marc Andreessen, pledged to donate half of their lifetime income from venture capital activities to charity.

In 2012, Andreessen Horowitz

Today, Andreessen Horowitz has $4.2 billion under management. The firm invests in hot startups like Slack, Lyft, Airbnb, and Pinterest.

Today, Andreessen Horowitz has $4.2 billion under management. The firm invests in hot startups like Slack, Lyft, Airbnb, and Pinterest.

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