Andreessen Horowitz launches a16z crypto startup school

By Robert Stevens

Hey, kids! Who wants to go to crypto school!?

Andreessen Horowitz, the Silicon Valley venture capital fund, today announced the “a16z Crypto Startup School,” a free, seven-week long blockchain education program for technologists interested in starting a blockchain project. Chalks hit blackboards in late February, 2020, and applications for its first batch open today.

Through lectures, workshops, mentor office hours and networking, 40 students will learn about building a crypto-startup, cryptoeconomics, basic blockchain computing principles, and the latest regulations. 

It’s only fifteen hours a week and no prior crypto experience is necessary. If you’re a technologist with experience in building software products, a “passion for learning about crypto” and an interest in “starting or joining” a blockchain project—you’re eligible.

The fund cautions that applicants “should be comfortable learning Solidity, Ethereum’s Javascript-like programming language,” or apply with a technical teammate. (And sorry, you can’t attend remotely, you must schlep your sorry crypto self down to sunny Sand Hill Road, to the Andreessen Horowitz office in Menlo Park.) 

The venture capital firm was the first major player in Silicon Valley to get into crypto. Among other things, it invested $25 million in Coinbase in 2013 and followed on with another round last year. It also helped raise $163 million in two rounds of investment for Ethereum competitor Dfinity.

The school’s mentors include Morgan Beller, head of strategy at Calibra; Jacob Horne, a product lead at Coinbase; and Ali Yahya, a partner at Andreessen Horowitz. Companies including Galaxy Digital, Polychain, Scalar, and Dragonfly Capital, also have mentors attending.

At the end of the program, the school will host a demo day for students to show off their project ideas, business plans, or prototypes. 

But caveat emptor, crypto kiddies: “participation in Crypto Startup School in no way guarantees investment” from the firm. But, with 19 mentors from venture capital firms, investment funds, or companies that have investment arms, it can’t hurt.

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