Daniel Penny has joined the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) in a move some critics view as a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hire.

David Ulevitch, a general partner at the top Silicon Valley investment firm, confirmed Penny’s hiring in an internal statement to The Free Press. He stated that Penny will “learn the business of investing and he will work to support our portfolio companies.”

“We believe in Daniel and are excited to have him as part of our team,” Ulevitch said, per The Free Press.

There has been criticism regarding Penny’s qualifications, with some perceiving his appointment as a political move after he avoided a 20-year prison sentence for the death of a homeless man. Following his acquittal last year, he was seen attending the Army vs. Navy football game as a guest of then-President-Elect Donald Trump. For this reason, the new hire may be painted as a public relations tactic for a16z rather than a hire based on merit, since Penny has no investing experience.

“For an entry-level job at Andreesen Horowitz, they require a Bachelor’s degree. Daniel Penny has a high school diploma,” one X user wrote on the platform. “It sounds like Penny is a DEI hire…”

Penny, a former Marine, previously faced charges of second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide after putting Jordan Neely, a homeless Black man with a history of mental illness, in a chokehold on the New York subway on May 1, 2023. Neely died not long after that. However, Penny was acquitted of all charges in December 2024.

“I believe, as I know many of you do, that Daniel acted with courage in a tough situation,” Ulevitch said, per The Free Press. “He was acquitted of all charges. Beyond that, it has always been our policy to evaluate the entire person and not judge them for the worst moment in their entire life.”

The intention is for Penny to amplify ties with the Department of Defense and the public safety sector while working within a16z’s American Dynamism practice, according to Exec Sum on Instagram.

 

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