Andreessen Horowitz backs launch of Horowitz Andreessen Academy as college alternative
Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz is backing the launch of the Horowitz Andreessen Academy, an unaccredited, tuition-free program in San Francisco designed as an alternative to traditional college for aspiring tech and AI talent.
Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz is backing the launch of the Horowitz Andreessen Academy, an unaccredited, tuition-free program in San Francisco aimed at high school graduates and college dropouts ages 16 to 22 as an alternative to elite universities. Funding reports vary, with The Wall Street Journal reporting a $35 million investment from the firm and other reports indicating funding of up to $42 million.[4][5][8][9][10][13][14]
The residential academy provides students with free housing, travel funds, and computing resources, reportedly including up to $50,000 in compute credits. Anthropic, Meta, and others are contributing compute, while founding partners include Anduril, Google, OpenAI, and Stripe. Eschewing traditional degrees, tests, and grades, the program emphasizes company placements and startup projects alongside courses taught by tech operators and talks from speakers including Jensen Huang, Sam Altman, and Steven Sinofsky.[1][2][3][4][8][10][11]
The academy was launched by Udemy co-founder Gagan Biyani and Andreessen Horowitz general partner Erik Torenberg and plans to accept roughly 50 students. Applications have opened for an initial Founding Class Fellowship, with a one-year program slated for Fall 2027 and a two-year program planned for Fall 2028, pending regulatory approval.[1][3][4]
Key facts
- Andreessen Horowitz is backing the launch of the Horowitz Andreessen Academy, with initial funding reports ranging between $35 million and $42 million.
- The San Francisco-based academy is an unaccredited, tuition-free, residential program with no grades and no tests.
- The program is aimed at recent high school graduates and college dropouts ages 16 to 22 as an alternative to attending elite universities.
- Students receive free housing, travel funds, and computing resources, reportedly including up to $50,000 in compute credits.
- Anthropic and Meta will provide compute resources, while Anduril, Google, OpenAI, and Stripe are listed among the founding partners.
- The curriculum trades degrees and homework for startup projects and tech company stints, featuring guest talks from figures such as Sam Altman, Jensen Huang, and Steven Sinofsky.
- Co-founded by Gagan Biyani and Erik Torenberg, the academy will accept about 50 students, with a one-year program targeted for Fall 2027 and a two-year program for Fall 2028.
Sources · 12 sources
- MT
MTS@MTSlivePost on X ·
FULL INTERVIEW: Gagan Biyani says most 18-year-olds should not go straight into the real world. He wants them spending 2 or 3 years on things that aren't for a paycheck or for building the next big thing. @gaganbiyani, co-founder of Udemy and Maven, and @eriktorenberg, general partner at @a16z, launched the Horowitz Andreessen Academy today. Tuition-free, no grades, no tests, 50 students, and over 200 speakers including Jensen Huang, Sam Altman and Steven Sinofsky. They joined @sophiadew: 01:37 why now, and why nobody pulled this off 10 years ago 04:21 the building on the hill where the books used to be 07:06 why being new to a field is now an advantage 08:57 co-op model, no grades, no tests, and pursuits 11:45 a day in the life, starting with your pursuits 13:30 the guest lecturer list: Jensen, Collison, Satya, Sinofsky, Logan Ury 15:30 the network is there, but you have to earn the meeting 16:37 who they actually want to apply 17:17 the philosopher-builder, and Steve Jobs on calligraphy 21:11 why he's not telling 18-year-olds to skip this and go build
Open source - TV
The Verge@vergePost on X ·
The Horowitz Andreessen Academy trades degrees and homework for stints at tech companies. https://t.co/x2oEvr8OFi
Open source - QU
Quartz@qzPost on X ·
Andreessen Horowitz is launching a tuition-free AI school as a college alternative: The Horowitz Andreessen Academy will accept about 50 students in Fall 2027, with founding partners including Google, OpenAI, and Stripe https://t.co/4Kms1lhQH2 https://t.co/OOHChjXooW
Open source - AG
AGTP@AGTPinsightsPost on X ·
Andreessen Horowitz just launched a free AI academy in San Francisco today. Here's what you need to know. The firm is backing the Horowitz Andreessen Academy with $35 million to $42 million in funding, reports vary on the exact figure, alongside Founding Partners including Anduril. It's an unaccredited, private, full-time, in-person, residential program aimed at recent high school grads and college dropouts, ages 16 to 22. The pitch is simple: don't drop out to start a company, come build here instead. Students get free housing, computing resources, travel funds, and reportedly up to $50,000 in compute credits, plus courses taught by tech founders and operators. Anthropic, Meta, and others are chipping in compute. Courses run from two days to four weeks. The Founding Class Fellowship is opening applications now, with a one-year program targeted for Fall 2027 and a two-year program targeted for Fall 2028, pending regulatory approval. Key numbers: - $35M to $42M initial investment - Ages 16 to 22 eligible - Up to $50,000 in compute credits per student - Fall 2027 for year-one program, Fall 2028 for two-year program It's positioned as a practical, hands-on alternative to elite four-year universities.
Open source - TW
The Wall Street Journal@WSJPost on X ·
Andreessen Horowitz has a message for up-and-coming tech talent: Don’t drop out of school to start a company; come do school with us instead. The venture-capital firm is investing $35 million in an unaccredited two-year alternative to traditional college. https://t.co/Pq2F5euPZO https://t.co/SU8szgzH0V
Open source - PO
Polymarket@PolymarketPost on X ·
JUST IN: Andreessen Horowitz launches a free AI school aimed at high school graduates & college dropouts as an alternative to elite universities.
Open source - PM
Polymarket Money@PolymarketMoneyPost on X ·
BREAKING: Andreessen Horowitz launches a free AI school as a college alternative, aimed at students who might otherwise attend “elite universities.”
Open source - TE
Techmeme@TechmemePost on X ·
a16z invests $35M in Horowitz Andreessen Academy, an independent, unaccredited two-year alternative to college; Anthropic, Meta, and others will provide compute (@katiebindley / Wall Street Journal) (Visit Techmeme dot com for the link and full context!)
Open source - TW
The Wall Street Journal@WSJPost on X ·
Andreessen Horowitz has a message for up-and-coming tech talent: Don’t drop out of school to start a company; come do school with us instead. The venture-capital firm is investing $35 million in an unaccredited two-year alternative to traditional college. https://t.co/U7eHrGfYn4 https://t.co/O3fsT7PTuO
Open source - EV
Evan@StockMKTNewzPost on X ·
ANDREESSEN HOROWITZ LAUNCHES AI SCHOOL AS A COLLEGE ALTERNATIVE Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz is launching a new program aimed at recent high school graduates and college dropouts that will identify and train young talent building artificial intelligence products. The so-called Horowitz Andreessen Academy, a free program that offers housing, computing resources and travel funds, is meant to be an alternative for students that might otherwise attend elite universities (Source Bloomberg)
Open source - BI
Business Insider@BusinessInsiderPost on X ·
Would you skip college for startup projects, tech-company placements, and guest talks from Sam Altman and Jensen Huang? Inside the Horowitz Andreessen Academy. https://t.co/DcvtxU4i4q
Open source - BL
Bloomberg@businessPost on X ·
Andreessen Horowitz launches AI school as a college alternative for high school graduates and university dropouts https://t.co/gSrviGTbKu
Open source - P2
Pulse 2.0@pulse2newsPost on X ·
Horowitz Andreessen Academy Raises $42 Million And Launches Tuition-Free Fellowship In San Francisco: Horowitz Andreessen Academy, a new education company incubated by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), has launched in San Francisco with $42 million in funding… https://t.co/FbY1WgktmR https://t.co/5IOCqiAlIr
Open source - QU
Quartz@qzPost on X ·
A16z Is Ditching Degrees for a Free AI School Andreessen Horowitz is launching a tuition-free academy in San Francisco for high school grads who want to build AI companies instead of sitting in le https://t.co/blwh9K8KNA #HorowitzAndreessenAcademy #AISchool #CollegeAlternative https://t.co/8hewfHSqYO
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