Kofi Ampadu leaves a16z following TxO program pause

Kofi Ampadu has left the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), concluding his tenure leading the firm’s Talent x Opportunity (TxO) program. In an email sent to staff with a subject line about closing his chapter at the firm, Ampadu reflected on his time at the firm and his work supporting founders. “Identifying out-of-network entrepreneurs and supporting them as they sharpened their ideas, raised capital, and grew into confident leaders was one of the most meaningful experiences of my career,” Ampadu, a partner at a16z, wrote in the note.

In his farewell message, Ampadu shared that he moved to the United States three months before his 11th birthday, starting school 5,000 miles from his original home in Ghana. He compared his early experiences with systemic requirements to the barriers faced by out-of-network entrepreneurs, whom he defined as founders without traditional venture capital connections. Ampadu wrote that the venture ecosystem often relies on proxies like schools and networks, which can obscure exceptional founders who do not follow common paths. He noted that TxO was built to challenge these systemic assumptions by investing in and supporting overlooked founders.

The departure follows the pause of the TxO program last November, which occurred months prior to Ampadu’s exit and resulted in the layoff of most of the program’s staff. Ampadu led the initiative for four years, taking over from its initial leader, Nait Jones. The program, which launched in 2020, focused on supporting underserved founders by providing access to tech networks and investment capital. However, the initiative utilized a controversial donor-advised structure—a philanthropic vehicle used for investment capital—to fund its operations. While some founders spoke highly of the program, others criticized this structure.

Following his work with TxO, Ampadu seems to have worked at Speedrun, an accelerator program operated by a16z. Prior to the pause of TxO, the program had expanded its efforts in 2024 by launching a grant program. This initiative provided $50,000 grants to non-profit organizations that support diverse founders. The program’s final cohort was held in March 2025, and the indefinite pause of the initiative came amid a broader industry shift away from diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments.

Why it matters

Ampadu’s exit underscores the likely conclusion of the TxO initiative, reflecting a wider trend among major tech firms to scale back or eliminate previous diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) commitments.