His a16z colleague Kofi Ampadu has resigned after the suspension of the TxO programme

Kofi Ampadu, the a16z partner who led the company’s Talent x Opportunity (TxO) fund and program, has left the company, according to an email he sent to employees obtained by TechCrunch. This comes after a few months The company suspended TxO and laid off many of its employees.

“During my time at this company, I was very happy for the opportunity and confidence to lead this project,” Ampadu wrote in an email, sent Friday afternoon, with the subject “Closing My Chapter of a16z.” “Identifying foreign entrepreneurs and supporting them as they sharpen their ideas, raise capital, and grow into trusted leaders has been one of the most important aspects of my career,” he wrote.

Ampadu led the program, which was launched in 2020, for more than four years until it stopped last November, replacing the first director, Nait Jones. After that, Ampadu seems to have worked for a16z’s the latest accelerator, Speedrun.

Ampadu’s departure probably signals the end of the TxO chapter. The fund and project focused on supporting underserved startups by providing access to technology networks and investment funds through a donor-advised fund. While some founders have spoken positively about the program, others have criticized the funding system. The program also launched a grant program in 2024 to provide $50,000 to non-profits that support various startups.

His last group was in March 2025, and his indefinite hiatus came as many high-profile names revised, cut, or removed previous contributions to diversity, inclusion, and inclusion. We have reached out to a16z and Ampadu for comment.

His full post below:

I moved to the United States three months before my 11th birthday. A month later, I started 6th grade at a school more than 5,000 miles away from my home, my friends, and everything familiar. Recently, my mom reminded me that my school wanted me to enroll in English as a Second Language. At the same time my memory came back and I lost my mind. Even at the age of 10, I knew that it was unheard of for a child from Ghana, an English-speaking country, to be asked to learn a language he spoke fluently.

This was a practice requirement, an empty notion of what students from other communities could or could not do. It’s the same kind of thinking that we wanted to challenge through the Talent x Opportunity Initiative. Ecosystems often rely on proxies such as institutions, networks, and historical information, which can hide unique innovators who don’t follow established paths. TxO invested in and supported these under-represented startups to close the gap between talent and opportunity.

During my time at the company, I was very grateful for the opportunity I had and the confidence to lead the project. Identifying foreign entrepreneurs and supporting them as they sharpen their ideas, raise capital, and grow into trusted leaders has been one of the most important aspects of my career.

As I move on to my next chapter, I walk away proud of what we built and grateful to everyone who helped shape it. Thank you for your faith, cooperation, and belief in what is possible. There is a lot of work to do and I am excited to continue building.