Stories
Udemy Co-founder Launches $42M AI College with No Degrees or Grades
- •Gagan Biyani, Udemy co-founder, launches Horowitz Andreessen Academy, a Silicon Valley AI college focused on projects and real-world experience.
- •The academy, backed by Andreessen Horowitz, raised $42 million and offers a tuition-free, one-year program starting September 2027 for its first cohort of 50 students.
- •The program emphasizes practical work, mentorship from tech leaders like Sam Altman and Satya Nadella, and partnerships with companies including Google, Meta, and OpenAI.
- •Students will not receive degrees or grades; the curriculum centers on building products and gaining skills for an AI-driven economy.
- •The inaugural year is free, including computing credits and a travel budget; future two-year programs may cost $60,000-$90,000 annually, comparable to elite universities.
Key Questions Answered
The Horowitz Andreessen Academy is a San Francisco-based, unaccredited for-profit education institution co-founded by Udemy co-founder Gagan Biyani. The academy offers a project-based alternative to traditional college focused on technology and artificial intelligence for ambitious young builders.
The academy has raised a total of $42 million, which includes $35 million invested by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz alongside an additional $7 million contributed by other backers.
Yes, the inaugural one-year programme starting in September 2027 will be completely tuition-free for its first cohort of roughly 50 students. Additionally, participating students will receive more than $50,000 in computing credits and a $5,000 travel and research budget.
