a16z pays $10,000–$14,000 per associate per month. A Los Angeles company puts a solar-powered smart collar on associates. It tracks location, conversations, token burn, Ramp spend, posting activity, investments. Marc just opens the app and draws a circle on the market map. That circle becomes the thesis. As associates approach the edge, the collar beeps and vibrates. With one tap, they can shift categories or algo-boost a founder. No direct management. More agentic. Huge cost savings for a16z. Already on 5k associates across the Bay Area, New York and LA. and now in talks to raise at a $5B valuation led by Peter Thiel.