Kofi Ampadu, the partner at a16z in charge of the Talent x Opportunity (TxO) fund, has departed from the company, as confirmed in an email obtained by TechCrunch. This move follows the recent halt of the TxO program and the majority of its staff being let go.
“In my time with the firm, I am thankful for the chance and trust to lead this initiative,” stated Ampadu in the email titled “Closing My a16z Chapter,” sent out on a Friday afternoon.
He continued, “Working with entrepreneurs outside the usual networks, helping them refine their concepts, secure funding, and evolve into confident leaders, has been a profoundly rewarding experience for me.”
Ampadu oversaw the TxO program, which commenced in 2020, for over four years until its pause in November, succeeding the initial leader, Nait Jones. Following this, Ampadu appears to have been involved with a16z’s latest accelerator, Speedrun.
With Ampadu’s departure, the future of the TxO program seems uncertain. The initiative aimed to support underrepresented founders by granting them access to tech networks and investment capital through a donor-advised fund. While some founders praised the program, others raised concerns about its controversial donor-advised structure. Additionally, the program introduced a grant scheme in 2024, offering $50,000 to nonprofits aiding diverse founders.
The program’s final cohort took place in March 2025, and its indefinite suspension coincided with several prominent tech entities reassessing, reducing, or eliminating previous commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We have reached out to a16z and Ampadu for further comments.
Read his full message below:
I came to the United States three months before my 11th birthday. A month later, I was starting 6th grade in a school over 5,000 miles away from my home, friends, and everything familiar. My mother recently reminded me that my school required me to enroll as an English-as-a-Second-Language student. I vividly recall feeling confused even at 10 years old. It made no sense to me that a child from Ghana, where English is spoken, was being asked to learn a language he already spoke fluently.
This was a systemic requirement, making assumptions about what students from certain backgrounds could or couldn’t achieve. This type of systemic assumption was what we aimed to challenge through the Talent x Opportunity Initiative. The venture capital world often relies on proxies like educational institutions, networks, and prior credentials, which can overlook exceptional founders who don’t follow the traditional paths. TxO invested in and supported these underestimated founders to bridge the gap between talent and opportunity.
During my tenure at the company, I am grateful for the opportunity and trust to lead this essential work. Identifying entrepreneurs outside the typical networks and aiding them in refining their ideas, securing funding, and growing into confident leaders has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.
As I transition to the next phase of my journey, I depart with pride in our accomplishments and gratitude for all who contributed to shaping it. Thank you for the trust, collaboration, and belief in what we can achieve. There is still more work to be done, and I am eager to continue building.
