San Francisco – Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) has announced that applications are now open for its highly competitive Speedrun 2026 program, which will invest up to $1 million in each selected startup and provide an additional $5 million in credits and tokens. The accelerator, known for its rigorous selection process with an acceptance rate below 0.4%, will run from July 27 to October 11, 2026, exclusively in San Francisco. This marks a permanent shift for the program, which previously alternated between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Andrew Chen, a General Partner at a16z, shared details of the program on social media, stating, > "starting TODAY, founders can apply for the 2026 program that runs July 27 to Oct 11 in SF." He further highlighted the significant financial backing, noting, > "we will be investing up to $1M and funding 70+ companies over the next few weeks." This investment structure typically includes $500,000 upfront for 10% equity via SAFE, with an additional $500,000 in the company's next funding round.
Beyond direct capital, participants will receive substantial support from industry giants. > "But there's also $5M in credits/tokens/etc from AWS/GCP/Open AI/Azure/NVIDIA/Deel/Stripe/etc," Chen added, emphasizing the comprehensive resource package. The program also features a Global Founders Program designed to assist international founders with visas, banking support, and relocation recommendations, fostering a diverse cohort.
Speedrun is open to both solo founders and teams, and while having an idea is not a prerequisite, applicants must demonstrate a strong ability to build. The program boasts an impressive lineup of speakers and mentors, including founders from Carta, DoorDash, Twilio, Figma, Zynga, Airtable, and Twitch, alongside direct engagement with a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz. Since its inception in 2023, a16z Speedrun has invested over $300 million across more than 250 startups.
The 12-week intensive program is hosted at a16z's headquarters in San Francisco, providing an immersive environment for participants. The application deadline for the upcoming cohort is May 17, 2026, with the program culminating in a Demo Day where founders present their progress to a network of investors. The move to a full-time San Francisco presence underscores the firm's commitment to leveraging the region's robust startup ecosystem.
