Andreessen Horowitz is launching an ‘academy’ with no homework and partnerships with Palantir, Google, and Meta

Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) is establishing the "Horowitz Andreessen Academy," a program designed to serve as a pipeline for young individuals to join or build Silicon Valley startups. The academy launches with 10 major partners, including Google, Meta, OpenAI, Nvidia, and Palantir, backed by $42 million in funding led by a16z. The program does not grant degrees or accreditation. Instead, it features short, high-impact classes led by prominent tech figures like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, alongside "co-ops" that place students in roles at partner tech companies. Participants must relocate to San Francisco and are provided with over $50,000 in compute credits and a $5,000 travel and research budget. This initiative reflects the firm's critical stance toward traditional higher education, which founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz have previously criticized as being disconnected from innovation. The academy will be free for its inaugural class in the fall of 2027, accepting only 50 students, primarily recent high school graduates.