Andreessen Horowitz is creating a one-year program for young people who want to build or join technology startups without pursuing a conventional degree. The Horowitz Andreessen Academy will combine short classes from industry leaders with work placements at partner companies.
Ten launch partners include Anthropic, Google, Meta, Nvidia, OpenAI, Palantir, Replit, Stripe, Anduril and Coinbase. Funding led by the venture firm totals $42 million. Participants are promised more than $50,000 in computing credits and a $5,000 budget for travel and research.
The first cohort will be limited to 50 students, mainly recent high-school graduates, and is scheduled for fall 2027 in San Francisco. Tuition will be free for that initial year. Students must move to the city and arrange their own housing. The program advertises no traditional grades, tests or homework, replacing those structures with classes, company roles and independent exploration.
Despite using the word academy, the organization will not award an accredited degree. Prospective students will have to weigh access to prominent companies and expensive computing against the absence of a recognized qualification and the cost of living in San Francisco.