Andreessen Horowitz has launched a new alternative education pathway designed specifically for young technology builders who want to skip traditional college and start building companies in the AI era. The Horowitz Andreessen Academy, a for-profit school based in San Francisco, raised $42 million in its initial funding round and opened applications for its inaugural class, which will welcome approximately 50 students in September 2027.

What Makes This Academy Different From Traditional College?

The Academy's educational model fundamentally reimagines how young technologists learn. Rather than relying on lectures, exams, and traditional coursework, students will spend their time developing real projects, building products, launching companies, and learning directly from technology executives and founders. The program emphasizes what the Academy calls "proof of work" over academic credentials, meaning admission decisions will focus on products applicants have built, projects they have launched, and achievements they have earned, rather than grades, essays, or standardized test scores.

The inaugural one-year fellowship will be completely tuition-free, though students will need to cover their own housing in the San Francisco Bay Area. Each student will receive more than $50,000 in computing credits and technology resources, along with a $5,000 travel and exploration budget. Beyond the founding fellowship, the Academy plans to seek regulatory approval for a two-year educational program beginning in fall 2028, with tuition comparable to elite private universities.

Who's Backing This Initiative and Why?

The Academy was founded by Gagan Biyani, who previously co-founded Udemy and Maven, and will operate as a separate entity from Andreessen Horowitz, though closely connected to the venture capital firm's investment network. Marc Andreessen and Erik Torenberg, both from a16z, will join Biyani on the Academy's board. The $42 million financing comes from a16z, which invested $35 million, along with individual investors including Adam D'Angelo (co-founder of Quora), Tobi Lütke (CEO of Shopify), Tony Xu (CEO of DoorDash), and Shyam Sankar (CTO of Palantir).

"In our estimation, the AI revolution is going to be as transformational to jobs as the Industrial Revolution was to the agricultural society that came before it. The training that worked for the Industrial Revolution isn't going to map perfectly onto the AI revolution, so somebody has to pioneer how you train a person for this new world," said Ben Horowitz, Co-Founder and General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz.

Ben Horowitz, Co-Founder and General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz

What Resources and Partnerships Support the Program?

The Academy has assembled an extensive network of technology partners and mentors to provide real-world learning opportunities. Its 10 founding partners include major technology companies that will contribute to curriculum development, provide access to software and hardware, and offer hands-on instruction:

• Founding Technology Partners: Anduril, Anthropic, Coinbase, Google, Meta, NVIDIA, OpenAI, Palantir, Replit, and Stripe
• Hiring Partners: The Academy has secured more than 40 additional hiring partners, including Applied Intuition, Base Power Company, Cognition, Databricks, Notion, and Shopify, which will provide internship and full-time employment opportunities
• Instructors and Guest Lecturers: The program features more than 200 speakers and mentors, including Sam Altman (CEO of OpenAI), Dylan Field (CEO of Figma), Fei-Fei Li (Co-Founder and CEO of World Labs), and Nikesh Arora (CEO of Palo Alto Networks)

The Academy's curriculum emphasizes four core characteristics: AI-native building, high agency, ambition, and interpersonal skills. Students will receive practical instruction in designing AI systems, founder-led sales, business-to-business go-to-market strategies, storytelling, leadership, company formation, capitalization tables, finance, and fundraising.

How Will the Academy Operate as a Learning Environment?

Rather than operating as a traditional university campus, the Academy will use San Francisco itself as its educational environment. Students will participate in an in-person program with access to local technology companies, venture capital firms, founders, and other entrepreneurs. The Academy plans to recommend housing providers where students can live near one another, encouraging collaboration and the development of professional and personal relationships.

"The most ambitious young people today are building companies from their parents' living rooms, launching websites that reach millions of people, and building robotic arms before they turn 18. College is still the right path for most students, but when the most elite and ambitious builders graduate high school, they need a program designed specifically for them," explained Gagan Biyani, Founder and CEO of Horowitz Andreessen Academy.

Gagan Biyani, Founder and CEO of Horowitz Andreessen Academy

A typical day for a student could include working on a humanoid robot, attending a fireside chat with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and then doing an independent study on calligraphy, according to the Academy's website. The program will also provide access to Andreessen Horowitz's network of investors, founders, and industry executives, as well as opportunities to spend time working alongside established technology companies and emerging startups.

Who Can Apply and When Does the Program Start?

The inaugural fellowship will primarily serve recent high school graduates and students who have completed one or two years at a university, though the Academy will also consider transfer students and international applicants, with priority given to graduating high school seniors. Applications are currently open for the founding fellowship, which begins in September 2027.

This initiative reflects Andreessen Horowitz's broader interest in developing alternative education pathways for young entrepreneurs and technology professionals as artificial intelligence changes how companies are built and how employees develop specialized skills. The Academy's launch also taps into Silicon Valley's long-standing fascination with college dropouts like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, who built massive companies without finishing traditional degrees.