a16z Speedrun SR001

a16z Speedrun SR001 was the inaugural cohort of Andreessen Horowitz's accelerator program, running from April to June 2023 in San Francisco. Led by General Partner Andrew Chen, the program focused primarily on gaming and interactive entertainment startups. Each of the 33 companies received $500,000 via a post-money SAFE over a 10-week program. SR001 established Speedrun's reputation as a highly selective accelerator with a sub-1% acceptance rate. Approximately 80% of graduating companies secured follow-on funding at Demo Day, demonstrating strong investor interest in the cohort. The batch reflected a16z's long-standing thesis that gaming represents a massive, underserved category in venture capital. Companies in the batch worked on game studios, gaming infrastructure, live operations tools, and interactive entertainment. The program provided access to a16z's extensive network, including over $5 million in vendor credits from partners like AWS, OpenAI, and Nvidia. SR001 set the template for subsequent Speedrun batches: intensive mentorship, founder-friendly terms with no board seats, and deep integration with a16z's Games Fund and broader portfolio ecosystem.