Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, often referred to as a16z, is launching a school for aspiring founders who have graduated from high school but have not yet attended college.
The Horowitz Andreessen Academy will train high school graduates through hands-on coursework covering topics ranging from technical subjects such as “AI Research and Models” to philosophy and personal development, including “The Geometry of Luck,” which promises to teach students “about arranging a life so good fortune flows through it.”
Students will also work on their own projects, with the school emphasizing access to mentors and guest speakers from prominent technology companies.
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“Today, we’re launching an ambitious new school called The Horowitz Andreessen Academy,” said Gagan Biyani, the school’s CEO. “Based in San Francisco, The Academy serves the most promising young high school graduates. We think this can be an elite institution that attracts top-tier talent. One that prepares students for the future rather than remaining stuck in the past.”
Biyani said the academy’s primary goal is to teach students how to build, which he described as “the most important skill in the AI era.”
“They’ll learn primarily by pursuing their own projects, either individually or in groups. There are classes and guest lectures, too, from some truly amazing people who have built modern-day Silicon Valley,” he said.
Biyani also described the academy as a “network” built around partnerships with major technology companies.
“Core to that network are our 10 Founding Partners: Anduril, Anthropic, Coinbase, Google, Meta, NVIDIA, OpenAI, Palantir, Replit, and Stripe,” he said. “The network includes over 50 hiring partners and over 200 speakers and mentors.”
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The academy is currently accepting applications for its inaugural class. The first program will last one year, charge no tuition and enroll about 50 students. According to the school’s FAQs, applicants will be selected based on “proof of work” — what they have built, shipped or earned.
However, the academy is not currently an accredited school. Students will not receive a degree or college credits that can be transferred to other institutions.
The model could expand in the coming years. According to TechCrunch, the academy plans to offer a two-year program starting in 2028. At that point, it expects to charge tuition “similar in cost to an elite private university,” Biyani said on X.
The academy is open to high school graduates, including those younger than 18, and could eventually expand beyond its initial 50-student cohort, as per TechCrunch’s report.