In an era when AI is changing how we find and make knowledge, what should schools teach? Horowitz Andreessen Academy (HAA), led by Gagan Biyani, co-founder of Udemy and Maven, is preparing a new school that helps students go beyond listening to lectures and turn their own ideas into products and projects.
HAA will start its Founding Class Fellowship in San Francisco in fall 2027. The direction Biyani lays out is simple: move away from education that only increases what you know, and build the ability to start something yourself and see it through.
Source: X @gaganbiyani
Learning in projects, not just classrooms
The program is built around three experiences.
- Pursuits: Students choose and carry out their own product, technology, research, or creative projects. Mentors and coaches help them find direction and keep executing.
- Courses: Founders and working professionals share, as classes, the knowledge they've built doing real work in product, sales, technology, leadership, and more.
- Co-ops: Students work on real teams at tech companies to experience the field. HAA describes at least 3 months of working at a company for each student.
Students live and learn full-time in person in San Francisco, and in the time between classes they continue personal projects and exploration. Rather than learning subject content in sequence, the process starts from what you want to build and picks up the knowledge you need along the way.
Source: X @eriktorenberg
Ten tech companies join as founding partners
The founding partners are Anduril, Anthropic, Coinbase, Google, Meta, NVIDIA, OpenAI, Palantir, Replit, and Stripe. Each company takes part through things like compute and hardware support, curriculum collaboration, and hands-on opportunities, helping connect students with the industry.
Source: X @a16z
Who can apply?
The Founding Class Fellowship starts in September 2027 and plans to select about 50 students. People who will have completed high school or an equivalent by August 2027 can apply, with priority for those about to graduate from high school. People who have been enrolled full-time in college for more than one year are excluded, and international applicants can apply as well.
Selection values work you've actually built and your track record of execution, or proof of work, over grades. Stage one asks for a portfolio link, a short video, test scores, and a high school transcript, and does not require recommendation letters or an essay. If you advance to the next stage, there is a separate conversation.
| Timeline | Date |
|---|---|
| Early application deadline | November 5, 2026 |
| Regular application deadline | January 15, 2027 (if spots remain) |
| Founding Fellowship starts | September 2027, San Francisco |
The Founding Class Fellowship has no tuition, and students cover living costs such as housing and meals. Eligible students can apply for a living-cost scholarship.
a16z invested $35 million in this launch, and total funding including individual investors is $42 million.
The school HAA describes is one where students build first and the knowledge and mentoring they need are connected along the way. It will be worth watching what kind of learning experience a new school that puts projects and company work at the center of education creates.