Applications are open for the Alpha Fellowship 2026 by a16z Speedrun. This fellowship backs students and recent grads with up to $250K and fast-tracks exceptional engineers into roles at breakout startups
Application Deadline
- October 11
Tell Me About The Fellowship
The Alpha Fellowship is hosted by a16z speedrun to back highly technical students, dropouts, and recent graduates who want to either join a breakout startup or build their own company. Fellows participate in an in‑person programme in San Francisco, gaining mentorship, networking, and funding opportunities.
Fellowship Tracks
- Talent Track
- 4‑week in‑person programme (Feb 8 – Mar 5).
- Embedded in speedrun community.
- Meet portfolio startups and potentially land engineering roles.
- Office hours, fireside chats, coworking space.
- Founder Track
- 8‑week in‑person programme (Jan 11 – Mar 5).
- Up to $250K investment to start building.
- Automatic final interview for speedrun (up to $1M investment).
- $1M+ in credits (AWS, GCP, Azure, OpenAI, Anthropic, Cursor, etc.).
- Coworking space, office hours, hosted sessions with speedrun partners.
Type
- Fellowship | Startup Building & Engineering Roles | San Francisco, USA
Who Can Apply
Applicants must:
- Be highly technical students, dropouts, or recent graduates (within 3 years).
- Be ready to either start a company or join a startup.
- Confirm eligibility requirements directly on the official page.
How Are Fellows Selected
- Application submission → live interviews → track kickoff (Founder: Jan 11, Talent: Feb 8).
- Fellows participate in weekly sessions, networking events, and conclude with presentations to the speedrun community.
Where Will the Fellowship Be Taken
- San Francisco, USA (in‑person).
Benefits
- Up to $250,000 funding for founders.
- Fast‑track into engineering roles at breakout startups.
- Mentorship from a16z partners and industry leaders.
- Networking with portfolio founders and peers.
- Coworking space at speedrun office.
How Long Will the Fellowship Last
- Founder Track: 8 weeks (Jan 11 – Mar 5).
- Talent Track: 4 weeks (Feb 8 – Mar 5).
Required Documents
- Resume.
- Additional requirements may apply – check official page.
How to Apply
- Visit the official Alpha Fellowship application page.
- Register with valid email and phone number.
- Complete the application form.
- Upload resume and required documents.
- Submit before the deadline (not specified – check official page).
🌐 Visit the application webpage for details