This page invites you to nominate promising startup founders or teams for the a16z speedrun program. If your referral is accepted—or you send multiple strong candidates—you’ll earn an invite to the exclusive speedrun Scouts Community.

Founders from the Department of Government Efficiency built SpecialOS, an AI-driven platform that automates tasks in Main Street service industries. Their first target is eldercare via Figure Health, where they’ve acquired a Texas provider, plan to open-source billing claims, and use efficiencies to boost nurse pay.

a16z is rolling out a structured program to help its growth-stage portfolio enter key international markets by adapting its US playbooks for regions like Japan, Korea, the Middle East, Europe, and Latin America. The firm will open new offices, leverage its talent and go-to-market teams, and build localized networks to guide founders through market-specific strategies rather than ad-hoc deals.

Andreessen Horowitz is launching initiatives to deepen partnerships with allied nations, support its portfolio companies’ international growth, and attract new strategic investors. They’ve appointed Anne Neuberger to lead global technology and policy efforts, Raghu Raghuram to help growth companies scale abroad, and Jen Kha to build overseas partnerships, while continuing to fund top startups worldwide.

a16z is launching a small, stage-matched community for finance leaders, with cohorts of eight CFOs meeting six times over a year. Each session mixes practical workshops—on planning, forecasting, AI tools and scaling finance teams—with candid peer discussions to build trust and lasting support networks.

The article argues that the strongest businesses position themselves where value moves—taking a cut as transactions flow through their networks. Crypto’s programmable rails and stablecoins let startups embed themselves in global money flows from day one, tapping network effects and undercutting legacy finance margins.

Probably raised $9 million to build an AI system that catches hallucinations and factual errors before they reach users. Their data-science tool wraps LLM outputs in a deterministic validator “mech suit,” letting it run smaller models locally while ensuring each answer matches the source data.

Founders from a16z Speedrun’s SR006 cohort pitched 90-second presentations at San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts to over 1,000 in-person and 10,000 online viewers. After onstage demos covering everything from insurance tech to laundry-folding robots, entrepreneurs manned booths for deeper investor Q&A and showcased memorable branding moves. Applications for SR007 are now open.

This article profiles eight healthcare services companies using AI across their care stacks to cut costs, speed up treatment, and boost patient engagement. From smarter caregiver scheduling at Honor to AI-driven patient outreach at Cityblock, each example shows measurable improvements in outcomes, efficiency, or retention. The piece argues that service-focused models with embedded AI have a durable edge over pure software plays.

States and private insurers are adding Medicaid and employer plan benefits for doula support to lower cesarean rates and preterm births. Companies like Pomelo Care and Maven Clinic vet certified doulas and handle billing and claims so providers can focus on patients.

The article outlines five pricing strategies for AI app companies to avoid destructive discount battles. It covers recognizing available enterprise budgets, maintaining a premium position, experimenting with pricing units, offering flexible billing models, and making proofs of concept cheap without cutting core product prices.

This weekly digest profiles seven startups launching April 5–11 that either push back against AI’s reach or harness it for solo builders. Highlights include Stasis’s distraction-free writing app, Vectis’s answer-engine SEO play, and Radicle’s AI-driven project management tool.

Marc Andreessen discusses the historical context and current state of AI, framing it as the result of decades of research rather than a fleeting trend. He argues that recent breakthroughs in AI, especially in reasoning and coding, signal a significant shift away from past boom-bust cycles. The conversation also touches on the implications for startups, infrastructure, and the role of open-source AI.

This week’s startup analysis highlights a division in AI applications: one side focuses on compliance tools for regulatory challenges, while the other explores creative uses like digital art from brainwaves. Notable companies include RootTrust, which addresses PBM contract risks, and Synapse, which creates art from neural data.

The article critiques the flawed analogy that all money-losing companies are the next Amazon. It discusses how unique circumstances and strategies, like those of Amazon, don't apply universally, using examples like WeWork and Uber to illustrate the dangers of oversimplified comparisons.

Founders seeking to improve their applications for the a16z speedrun program can benefit from understanding key positive signals that set successful candidates apart, as well as common pitfalls to avoid. Emphasizing co-founder relationships, traction, validation, and deep market understanding are crucial for standing out in a competitive landscape.

Successful waitlist strategies have evolved from simple sign-up forms to essential marketing tools that enhance lead quality for startups. By analyzing case studies, the article emphasizes the importance of understanding user intent, segmenting potential customers, and rapidly converting waitlisted users into paying customers. Founders are encouraged to use waitlists not just for hype, but as a way to generate valuable insights and revenue.

Pediatric mental health startups like Brightline and InStride Health have emerged to address the increased demand for mental health services among children during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. While some startups have struggled, these two companies have expanded their services and adapted to the needs of families, particularly through telehealth. Challenges remain, including funding cuts and clinician shortages, but awareness around youth mental health is growing.

The AI boom is deflating rather than crashing, with distinct market tiers emerging among companies in the sector. While hyperscalers like Microsoft and Amazon remain strong, many startups face existential challenges, and investors should seize opportunities by targeting resilient companies and sectors related to AI infrastructure and automation.