A new academy in Silicon Valley in the United States is preparing to cultivate tech talent in a way different from traditional universities: admissions will not just be based on grades, but also on what students have done and what they are capable of achieving. Supported by a well-known venture capital firm, this academy plans to enroll the first batch of approximately 50 students next year, offering a tuition-free one-year program in collaboration with tech companies like Google and Nvidia.
The academy, named Horowitz Andreessen Academy, is backed by the Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). The academy is set to start in the fall of 2027 in San Francisco, without conferring university degrees or providing university credits.
While the inaugural program is tuition-free, students will still be responsible for covering their accommodation and living expenses. The academy has not officially commenced classes yet, and the actual employment status of graduates remains to be evaluated.
The founder of the academy, Gagan Biyani, co-founded the online education platform Udemy. In an interview with Fox Business, he mentioned that artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the requirements of tech companies for talent, suggesting that the traditional university education system might not be suitable for all young people aiming to enter the tech industry.
What the new academy values most is what applicants have done in the past. If students have developed widely-used applications, founded revenue-generating enterprises, or solved complex technical problems, they can leverage these achievements to demonstrate their capabilities.
The academy will still consider high school transcripts, as well as SAT or ACT scores, but the actual accomplishments will carry more weight in the admission evaluation.
Biyani believes that in the era of AI, companies are no longer just focused on how much knowledge job seekers possess, but are increasingly emphasizing their ability to develop products, collaborate with teams, and complete actual work tasks.
Unlike traditional universities that rely heavily on classroom teaching and exams, the new academy will engage students in real projects, teaching them how to utilize AI to develop products while nurturing skills in sales, public speaking, and more. The academy will not employ traditional grading, exams, or homework systems.
According to the academy’s schedules, students will have the opportunity to complete overseas projects lasting three to four weeks in other countries. Additionally, each student will spend at least three months in full-time employment at a company, accumulating practical experience through cooperative education (co-op).
The inaugural students will also receive over $50,000 in computing resources, as well as $5,000 for travel and research expenses.
The new academy has garnered support from various tech companies, including Google, Meta, Nvidia, OpenAI, Anthropic, Palantir, Coinbase, and Stripe.
Biyani mentioned that before its official launch, the academy had established partnerships with over 50 companies, including well-known enterprises in Silicon Valley and other regions. While these companies are willing to consider hiring graduates of the academy, there is no guarantee that students will secure employment after graduating.
Collaborating companies will engage in various ways, such as assisting in curriculum design, providing computing resources and hardware, offering cooperative education opportunities, and practical work experiences.
The introduction of the new academy comes at a time when young university graduates in the United States are facing employment pressures.
Data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows that in the second quarter of 2026, the unemployment rate among recent college graduates aged 22 to 27 in the United States was approximately 5.6%, with around 42% involved in jobs that typically do not require a bachelor’s degree.
However, when looking at the overall labor market, having a university degree still offers significant advantages. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2025, workers aged 25 and above with a bachelor’s degree had a median weekly income of $1,578 and an unemployment rate of 2.8%; whereas those with only a high school diploma had a median weekly income of $966 and an unemployment rate of 4.3%.
Biyani emphasized that the new academy is not aiming to replace traditional universities. He believes that universities remain crucial places for academic research, but for young individuals looking to quickly enter the tech industry or start their own ventures, there might be other options available.
When asked whether an 18-year-old student should choose Stanford University or this new academy, Biyani suggested that if the student aims for academic research, Stanford is an excellent choice; however, if their goal is to find a job or start a company, he believes the new academy would be more suitable.
The academy is currently accepting applications for the inaugural students, with the early application deadline set for November 5, 2026. The academy also plans to launch a two-year program in 2028, pending regulatory approval, with tuition fees expected to be comparable to those of top private universities in the United States.