a16z backs new school HAA with $42M to train young AI-era builders
xiaohu · x · 2026-09-23
a16z has incubated Horowitz Andreessen Academy (HAA), a full-time San Francisco school led by Udemy/Maven co-founder Gagan Biyani, targeting high-school grads with existing hands-on work. It raised $42M ($35M from a16z), with Marc Andreessen and Erik Torenberg on the board.
- Philosophy: AI lowers the bar for building, so learning shifts from mastering knowledge to picking worthy problems, organizing resources, and shipping projects
- Structure: self-directed projects (Pursuits) at the core, short courses to fill gaps, and company placements; weekly public reviews with peers and mentors
- Support: first cohort 50 students, tuition-free (living costs self-funded), $50K+ compute credits and $5K research/travel budget per student, including 3-4 week field trips
- Positioning: no degrees or credits, aimed at self-driven "young builders"; early applicants built robotic arms and low-cost prosthetics
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