Our Thesis

We back the founders rewriting the world with AI

Why Speedrun?

A16z Speedrun is the new YC circa 2010. With 14,000 applicants and a <1% acceptance rate across its latest cohort (SR005), Speedrun has created a hyper-selective filter that produces power-law founders. We built Snowball to be the dedicated fund for this opportunity.

•Highest concentration of elite AI-native founders
•Founders from Google, OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta AI
•150+ startups funded across 5 cohorts since 2023
•Selectivity curve mirrors early YC

Our Edge

A16z Speedrun ScoutEndorsed by a16z and working closely with the Speedrun team as an official scout
Alumni-BuiltSR005 alumni investing back into the network we helped build
Experienced Operators & Investors$50M+ raised as founders, $500M+ invested across early-stage companies

How We Pick Winners

We invest only in the top ~20% of each cohort

Founder Quality

Elite operators from Google, OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta AI, and Uber with deep technical expertise and proven execution.

Market Timing

AI-native companies solving real problems in massive markets ready for disruption.

Power-Law Potential

Technical moats and market positioning for 100x+ outcomes.

Why We Believe in Speedrun

A16z Speedrun is ~2 years old but shares the same founder quality and selectivity curve YC had in 2010

Accelerator	Companies Funded	Unicorns	$100M+ Cos	Alumni Value
Y Combinator	5,000+	100+	400+	$600B+
Techstars	4,900+	21–22	118	$126B+
500 Global	2,900+	35–49	160+	$80B+
A16z Speedrun	150+	—	—	$B+

Y Combinator

Funded5,000+

Unicorns100+

$100M+ Cos400+

Alumni Value$600B+

Techstars

Funded4,900+

Unicorns21–22

$100M+ Cos118

Alumni Value$126B+

500 Global

Funded2,900+

Unicorns35–49

$100M+ Cos160+

Alumni Value$80B+

A16z Speedrun

Funded150+

Unicorns—

$100M+ Cos—

Alumni Value$B+

How We Help Founders

We get out of founders' way. When they need help, we deliver

Tactical Support

• Product and growth strategy
• Hiring strategy and key decisions
• Operating systems for scale
• Founder psychology and support

Strategic Access

• Introductions to blue-chip brands
• Connections to key decision makers
• Customer discovery support
• Follow-on investor introductions

Philosophy

We save founders time by doing our homework first. We arrive prepared, help when we're needed, and get out of the way when we can't add value