a16z Speedrun opens SR008 applications

a16z Speedrun opened applications for its SR008 residency on October 12, 2026, offering founders a chance to join a 12-week in-person program in San Francisco that begins February 1, 2027 and runs through April 16, 2027, with Demo Day on April 13. Speedrun’s application page says applications close on November 1.

Speedrun says selected startups can access up to $1 million in investment plus more than $10 million in partner credits, and the firm describes the residency as designed for early-stage companies across AI, robotics, fintech, consumer, B2B and security. Andreessen Horowitz says Speedrun has deployed more than $180 million into over 200 startups since launching in 2023.

What is Speedrun offering to founders?

Speedrun says its standard deal is up to $1 million, structured as $500,000 for 10% upfront on a SAFE and up to another $500,000 in the company’s next qualifying round within 18 months. The second tranche is tied to a next round of at least $2 million and remains subject to terms.

In addition to capital, Speedrun says selected startups can access more than 200 marketplace partners spanning cloud, model providers and software. Speedrun says those credits begin only after the investment is wired, and that partner terms can change.

Speedrun says its current standard deal does not include a board seat, and it asks for pro rata rights in future rounds and an option pool for early hires. According to the company’s FAQ, founders who are accepted also receive a free Ashby instance for six months.

How does the residency work?

Speedrun describes SR008 as an in-person, 12-week residency in San Francisco, based at its North Beach office. The company says founders are expected to build full-time during the program while attending about one day a week for sessions, office hours and events.

The program opens with a founder retreat and closes with Demo Day. Speedrun says every founder is expected to attend four key moments: the founder retreat, Progress Day, First Look Demo Day and Demo Day. For SR008, the retreat is scheduled for February 2 to 4, office access begins November 9, 2026 and continues through May 28, 2027, and the program’s Demo Day is set for April 13.

Speedrun says selected companies are reviewed by a person, applicants typically hear back in four to six weeks, and if it proceeds with a startup it aims to close the investment in about two weeks. It also says applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and that every applicant should hear back regardless of the decision.

Who can apply to SR008?

Speedrun says it generally aims to be the first check into a company, but it also accepts early-stage startups that have already raised capital. Applicants do not need to be incorporated yet, and Speedrun says it can help set up the company if it invests.

The firm says it invests across sectors including AI, robotics, fintech, consumer, B2B and security. It also says the residency is open to founders from more than 20 countries and that recent residencies have included 70 to 80 companies.

Speedrun’s FAQ says the program runs twice a year in San Francisco, with SR009 starting in late July 2027 and Demo Day on October 5, 2027. The company also says founders are generally expected to wait until Demo Day to raise, so they can show 12 more weeks of progress to investors.

How big is Speedrun’s platform?

According to Andreessen Horowitz, Speedrun has deployed more than $180 million into over 200 startups since 2023. The firm also says the Speedrun founder community includes more than 600 active founders.

Speedrun says its SR Insiders network includes more than 150 C-suite founding members and more than 1,000 executives and operators, while its Talent Network has more than 171,000 people and has sourced more than 250 hires for portfolio companies so far.

The program’s broader customer-development programming includes AI Faire, Tech Week, Launch Lab and Brand Lab. Speedrun says it sees the residency as a long-term partnership beyond the 12-week program, and that founders work with an investing partner plus a broader team of about 40 people, including around eight investors.

Speedrun also highlighted its recent SR007 Demo Day, where 80 companies presented at San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts. The company said more than 2,000 investors RSVPed in person, thousands more watched the livestream, and the theater’s 954 seats filled up, which led Speedrun to open overflow seating. Speedrun added that two Alpha teams, Oruk and Cybernetic Physics, became the first Alpha teams to reach a Speedrun Demo Day; Oruk builds speech foundation models, while Cybernetic Physics deploys autonomous robots in data centers for rack-and-stack, cabling and maintenance.