HAA aims to develop people skills through project-based learning

HAA: HAA, the Horowitz Andreessen Academy, is a private full-time in-person school in San Francisco for young people right after high school. It emphasizes project-based learning with AI tools, cohabitation and internships alongside working adults, and structured peer networks to build practical skills. The academy is a for-profit venture backed by a16z with founding partners including major tech and AI companies, positioning it as a new model for education in the AI era. Meta: Meta is a social media and technology company serving as a founding partner of HAA. It contributes opportunities for students to collaborate on projects with industry professionals. This partnership reinforces the academy's model of embedding young learners in real-world tech settings. Google: Google is a major technology company and founding partner of HAA. It supports the school by integrating students into professional environments through internships and projects. Google's role advances HAA's aim of providing immersive Silicon Valley experiences for skill development. NVIDIA: NVIDIA is a semiconductor and AI hardware company that is a founding partner of HAA. It enables student access to expert environments where practical projects, such as those involving advanced chips, require networking and teamwork. NVIDIA's involvement highlights HAA's emphasis on AI-era tools and collaborative learning. OpenAI: OpenAI is an AI research organization and founding partner of HAA. It supports the school by providing co-ops and exposure to AI development projects. This aligns with HAA's project-based curriculum designed to accelerate skill-building in a supportive peer and professional network. Replit: Replit is a cloud-based coding platform company and founding partner of HAA. It contributes to the ecosystem by enabling students to build and collaborate on projects with tools and experts. Replit's involvement supports the academy's focus on practical, AI-assisted learning experiences. Stripe: Stripe is a financial infrastructure company serving as a founding partner of HAA. It provides co-ops and professional environments where students learn through real projects requiring coordination with others. This partnership advances HAA's goal of preparing young people for impactful careers or ventures. Anduril: Anduril is a defense technology company that serves as a founding partner of HAA. It contributes to the school's ecosystem by offering co-ops and internships that expose students to real-world projects alongside industry experts. This partnership aligns with HAA's goal of immersing students in professional environments to develop people skills through collaborative building. Coinbase: Coinbase is a cryptocurrency exchange and blockchain company that is a founding partner of HAA. It participates by offering co-ops and internships that allow students to work on meaningful projects within the adult professional world. This helps fulfill HAA's mission of building people skills via real collaboration rather than isolated academic settings. Palantir: Palantir is a data analytics and software company acting as a founding partner of HAA. It offers internships that place students alongside working adults on complex projects. Palantir's role helps deliver HAA's vision of immersive, osmosis-based development of people skills. Anthropic: Anthropic is an AI research and safety company acting as a founding partner of HAA. It provides opportunities for students to engage with cutting-edge AI tools and professionals as part of the academy's project-based approach. The involvement supports HAA's focus on preparing young people for the AI era through hands-on experiences. Ben Horowitz: Ben Horowitz is a co-founder of a16z and a key proponent of HAA, emphasizing that it is the best time in history to be 18 due to AI opportunities. He discusses how the school allows students without a big idea to join others who do, and stresses learning people skills through practical application rather than books or lectures. Horowitz supports the model of embedding young people with adult professionals and companies in Silicon Valley. Gagan Biyani: Gagan Biyani is an entrepreneur and one of the key voices behind HAA, focusing on how real-world projects foster people skills through immersion and collaboration. In discussions with a16z leaders, he highlights the limitations of traditional college social structures and the value of embedding students in professional environments. Biyani advocates for osmosis-style learning where students tackle ambitious builds that require networking and teamwork. Erik Torenberg: Erik Torenberg is a co-founder and partner involved in shaping and promoting HAA alongside Ben Horowitz. He participates in conversations outlining the school's model of live-in San Francisco experiences, co-ops at top startups, and project-driven curriculum. Torenberg contributes to the vision of HAA as an alternative education path that prepares students for careers or founding companies in the current tech landscape. AI Era: AI is positioned as this generation's equivalent of the Industrial Revolution, driving demand for new training approaches for young people. Education Model: HAA shifts from lecture-heavy college formats to project-based learning embedded with working professionals to accelerate skill development. Silicon Valley Access: Locating in San Francisco enables unique immersion in professional networks, co-ops, and adult environments for hands-on learning.