Manus got acquired by Meta for billions of dollars—this is an A11-level win in just 2025! For entrepreneurs, choosing the right track is more important than anything else. I’ve compiled the big ideas for startups in 2026 as listed by A16z. Let’s see which direction could lead to another A11 1) Infrastructure - Multimodal data: Making AI not just chat, but also read contracts, monitor surveillance, and understand business documents. - Agent-native infrastructure: Supporting thousands of AIs working for you simultaneously. - Multimodal creation tools: Letting AI act like a director—referencing materials, editing, and generating works. - AI-native data stack: AI not just analyzing reports but directly giving actionable recommendations. - Interactive video: Turning videos into spaces you can step into and interact with. 2) Consumer - AI-native universities: Everyone can have an AI personal tutor that adapts to their learning pace. - Health-focused user growth: AI managing your health before you even get sick. - ChatGPT = AI app store: Developers can reach hundreds of millions of users with a single integration. - World model storytelling: Generating a complete 3D world with just one sentence—for games, films, and virtual spaces. 3) Crypto - Privacy as a moat: The better the privacy, the harder it is to lose users and assets. - Evolution of prediction markets: Using collective intelligence to predict the future, more reliable than experts. - Know Your Agent (KYA): Giving AI a trusted identity so it can trade and sign contracts on your behalf. - Staked media: Content that requires “staking,” where saying the wrong thing comes with a cost. 4) Enterprise + Finance - Systems giving way to Agents: Humans no longer clicking buttons—AI directly operates the software. - Vertical AI collaboration: AIs that can work together create real competitive advantages. - Full-process voice agents: AI handling calls, follow-ups, and closing deals end-to-end. - AI-native financial infrastructure: Banking and payment systems running like multithreaded programs.