A16Z Games offering $750k investments and mentorship through Speedrun accelerator

A16Z Games has opened applications for the fourth iteration of its 'Speedrun' accelerator (SR004).

The 12-week program offers tech and video game startups the chance to secure a $750,000 investment and mentorship from industry leaders.

Josh Lu, investing partner at A16Z Games, said the accelerator aims to empower entrepreneurs to "start building their dream companies" and provides support in the form of cash, top-tier resources, and mentorship.

Applications for SR004 are now open and will close on September 30, 2024. The program will commence on January 6, 2025, and conclude with a demo day at Game Developers Conference 2025 in March.

Game studios, playable apps, and more are eligible for Speedrun

The A16Z website describes the initiative as "highly selective" and notes that less than 1 percent of applicants were accepted into the previous SR003 cohort. It aims to cover a number of verticals including game studios, interactive platforms, AR / VR, playable apps, UGC, web3, and AI.

"Any early-stage founder that is building at the intersection of Tech x Games [can apply]. Our current cohort has companies building everything from live ops tools to digitized wargames, social trivia platforms, avatar foundation models, and casual mobile games," reads an FAQ.

"We've had solo founders in the program and have also helped solo founders match. However, since creating successful startups is a difficult endeavor, we generally prefer taking on teams with multiple founders."

A16Z encourages successful applicants to "temporarily move to San Francisco to build community" and requires one day in person per week so founders can engage with other spreedrunners.

Visit the A16Z website for more information on Speedrun.