DOJ Investigates a16z Board Seats at Databricks and Fivetran
The US DOJ has reportedly spent almost a year probing a16z board seats at rivals Databricks and Fivetran under a rarely used 112-year-old antitrust law.
Summary
Andreessen Horowitz, known as a16z, has two partners serving on boards of companies that now compete: Ben Horowitz at Databricks and Martin Casado at Fivetran. The Department of Justice has reportedly investigated the arrangement for almost a year under a 112-year-old antitrust law rarely applied to venture capital firms. Databricks and Fivetran were not necessarily direct competitors when a16z first invested, but their markets later converged.
The probe raises a broader governance problem for venture firms as portfolio companies expand into one another’s markets after board seats are assigned. In a 39-minute TechCrunch Equity episode published August 21, 2026, at 9:53 a.m. PDT, Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Sean O’Kane examine the investigation, its potential consequences for VCs, and other weekly headlines.
Positives
- Databricks and Fivetran were not necessarily direct competitors when a16z first invested, indicating the overlap developed later.
- The DOJ’s almost year-long review brings regulatory scrutiny to potential conflicts involving two competing portfolio companies.
- TechCrunch’s 39-minute Equity episode examines board-seat management as portfolio companies move into one another’s markets.
Risks & concerns
- Ben Horowitz serves on Databricks’ board while Martin Casado serves on Fivetran’s, although the companies now compete.
- The reported DOJ investigation has continued for almost a year, leaving a16z’s board arrangement under prolonged scrutiny.
- A 112-year-old antitrust law rarely used against venture firms introduces legal uncertainty for VC board representation.
- Portfolio companies can become competitors after investment, making board conflicts harder for venture firms to anticipate and manage.