Andreessen Horowitz targets elite IDF alumni for startup accelerator
Silicon Valley giant courts veterans with $1M speedrun program and exclusive Tel Aviv events.
Andreessen Horowitz, the powerhouse venture capital firm managing approximately $45 billion, is looking to expand its presence in the Israeli market. The leading Silicon Valley fund is inviting graduates of elite IDF units, whether they’ve already founded a startup or are just beginning to consider one, to an exclusive introductory event for its a16z speedrun program. The goal: to capture Israeli entrepreneurial talent as early as possible, before competing funds like Sequoia and Greylock, which are also aggressively courting young founders, have a chance to do so.
a16z speedrun is an accelerator program launched by Andreessen Horowitz (commonly referred to as a16z), aimed at Seed and pre-Seed stage startups. The program provides up to $1 million in investment per company, along with intensive mentorship and access to a16z’s influential network. Participating startups can also receive up to $5 million in benefits, including cloud credits and software tools. The program lasts approximately 12 weeks.
To promote the initiative, the firm is organizing two invitation-only events in Israel. The first, called “Israel’s Next Elite Founders Dinner,” will be held in Tel Aviv. According to the invite:
“Join us for an intimate dinner of founders who served in an elite IDF unit now starting or thinking about starting a company. Come meet leaders of a16z speedrun and hear how we support founders at the very earliest of stages going 0->1. We'll be joined by Israeli founders who have gone through the program.”
The second event, held the following day, is named "Israel Mixer" and aims to bring together "early stage founders looking to start the next global, generational company."
Andreessen Horowitz has significantly increased its investments in Israeli startups over recent years, especially in 2024. One of its most high-profile moves was leading the final funding round for Wiz before its $32 billion acquisition by Google. That round, in May 2024, raised $1 billion at a $12 billion valuation.
