Porter Smith is a deal partner on the a16z crypto team. He focuses on DeFi, governance design, and real-world applications across the crypto landscape. Prior to a16z, Porter was an MH-6M Little Bird and AH-64D Apache helicopter pilot, deploying twice to Afghanistan. He was drawn to web3's systems-centered design thinking and meritocratic ethos. Porter is a proud graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point.