Katie Haun: The New Queen of the Encryption World

Katie Haun is a highly regarded venture capitalist in the cryptocurrency and Web3 space. As a former federal prosecutor, she initially entered the encryption field in 2013 to investigate how the technology could be used for criminal activities. However, she quickly became fascinated by this emerging industry and decided to stay in the field to develop her career.

In 2018, Haun joined the well-known venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz(a16z), becoming the first female investment partner at the firm. She co-led a16z's encryption investment team with Chris Dixon, which has grown to about 50 people and manages a $2.2 billion encryption fund.

During her time at a16z, Haun participated in investing in a series of popular encryption projects, including Coinbase and OpenSea. She demonstrated keen investment insight and extensive networking resources, becoming a hot star investor in the encryption circle.

In December 2021, Haun announced her departure from a16z to prepare to establish her own venture capital firm focused on the encryption field. It has been reported that she plans to raise about $1 billion for the new company's initial fund, which would be the largest cryptocurrency fund ever raised solely by a female venture capitalist.

For the new company, Haun plans to adopt a more streamlined and focused operational model, building a lean team. She hopes to seek high-quality encryption startup projects globally and introduce expert consultants for each vertical.

As a former prosecutor, Haun's expertise in regulation and law is one of her significant advantages. As the encryption industry faces increasing regulatory challenges, this expertise will play an important role.

Despite the recent significant fluctuations in the encryption market, Haun remains optimistic about the long-term prospects of the industry. She believes that the application scenarios of encryption technology are much broader than people initially imagined.

Haun's new company has completed seven investments, including an investment in the NFT project Autograph. The industry is generally optimistic about her new venture, believing that her extensive experience and broad network in the encryption field will be significant advantages.

For Haun, starting a new company is a "full commitment" adventure. Although there have been doubts, she has always believed that this is the right decision. As one of the few female leaders in the encryption field, Haun is writing her own legendary story.