a16z launches full-time AI academy with Nvidia, Google, OpenAI as partners

September 24, 2024 — Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), the prominent Silicon Valley venture capital firm, has finalized a new investment: betting on young people who may become future technology leaders.

Specifically, a16z announced this week that it is investing in and incubating the Horowitz-Andreessen Academy, an independently operated school based in San Francisco. Targeting high school graduates, the academy aims to help students stand out in a "world profoundly reshaped by artificial intelligence" through project-based learning, industry mentorship, and corporate partnerships. a16z is contributing $35 million to the initiative, which has raised a total of $42 million to date.

A New Model for Education

"The next generation will not be educated the way the previous generation was, nor will they work the same way," wrote a16z partner Eric Torenberg in the announcement. "The world they live in will also change. This academy is built for that world."

This "educational experiment" seeks to answer a fundamental question: When AI can help young people learn, research, write code, and develop products, what can schools still offer?

a16z's answer: organize learning around students' own projects. Students receive guidance through short-term courses but spend the majority of their time developing products, conducting research, or exploring entrepreneurial ideas. They also gain opportunities to work within companies and understand different roles. Industry feedback, peer collaboration, and real-world business scenarios form the core resources of this model.

Program Details

The academy is currently accepting applications for a one-year program starting in Fall 2027, with an expected cohort of approximately 50 students. Key details include:

• Tuition-free (students cover room, board, and living expenses)
• Priority given to recent high school graduates
• Admissions focus on applicants' completed work and projects
• Full-time, in-person instruction
• Not yet accredited — the inaugural program does not offer a university degree or credits

The academy plans to seek regulatory approval for a two-year program launching in Fall 2028, which would charge tuition comparable to top-tier private universities.

Curriculum and Teaching Approach

The academy will eliminate traditional exams and homework. Courses range from two days to four weeks in duration, with remaining time dedicated to personal projects and corporate internships. Students can build products, explore startup ideas, or conduct research.

The academy promises the inaugural cohort:

• Over $50,000 in computing credits
• $5,000 in travel and research budgets

The curriculum is clearly designed for young people aspiring to launch AI startups. Course offerings include both technical fields — such as "Aerospace, Defense & Industrial Systems" and "AI Research & Models" — as well as humanities and sciences, including "Health & Human Performance" and "Writing & Culture." One course, titled "The Geometry of Luck," teaches students "how to structure their lives so that good fortune finds them."

Industry Partnerships

Ten leading tech companies have signed on as founding partners, including:

• NVIDIA
• Google
• Meta
• OpenAI
• Anthropic
• Palantir

These companies provide computing power and hardware, contribute to curriculum design, or offer internship opportunities. Students can gain exposure to different roles through corporate internships, building experience for entrepreneurship or employment.

a16z also announced that several tech industry leaders will serve as lecturers and guest speakers at the academy. The current list includes:

• Sam Altman
• Jensen Huang
• Fei-Fei Li
• Satya Nadella
• Naval Ravikant
• Marc Andreessen

The academy's philosophy on instructors is straightforward: "Rather than learning from those who write textbooks, learn directly from the people featured in them."

No Employment Guarantees

Despite the impressive partner list, the academy makes no promises regarding jobs. It explicitly states that it does not guarantee internships or full-time positions. Students must still go through company interview processes for relevant roles, and not every internship is guaranteed to be paid.

Strategic Rationale for a16z

For a16z, the academy also connects to its investment business. Torenberg anticipates that the firm will eventually invest in some entrepreneurs who emerge from the program. From a business perspective, the academy gives the venture firm access to talent earlier — before they even start companies — and provides tech companies with a channel to observe potential employees.

Co-Founder's Perspective

In a podcast discussing the idea of founding a school, a16z co-founder Ben Horowitz noted that for most kids, college remains a good option. However, some students are no longer suited for traditional university, and the academy can offer them a path forward.

Horowitz added that the transformative impact of the AI revolution on employment could rival the Industrial Revolution, and many young people would benefit from a learning environment that doesn't require sitting through five hours of lectures daily.

"Maybe a better approach is to shorten concentrated instruction time and give students more time to use tools and learn at their own pace with AI," he said. "Someone needs to take the first step and show how this path can work."