Andreessen Horowitz Launches Tuition-Free Tech Academy for High School Graduates

Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz is launching The Horowitz Andreessen Academy, a tuition-free, one-year program in San Francisco for high school graduates who have not attended college. The school is accepting applications for about 50 students, selected on "proof of work," with no degree or transferable college credits awarded. The for-profit venture, which has raised $42 million, offers coursework spanning AI research and life philosophy, plus personal projects and mentors from ten founding corporate partners including Google, Meta, NVIDIA, OpenAI, Coinbase, Stripe, and Anthropic. CEO Gagan Biyani said those companies hope to hire graduates. In 2028, the academy plans to add a two-year program charging tuition "similar in cost to an elite private university." Biyani framed the school as a middle ground between earning a full degree and dropping out to found a startup, as AI reshapes entry-level tech hiring.