How to get into a16z speedrun: live Q&A with a speedrun investment partner and alumni founders
a16z Speedrun is one of the hardest startup accelerators to get into, with fewer than 0.4% of applicants accepted.
The program invests up to $1M in very early-stage startups and offers a 12-week residency in San Francisco.
Silicon Gardens is bringing together a closed group of founders applying to a16z speedrun for a 60-minute conversation with both sides of the table: the partner who reviews applications, and two founders who made it into the latest cohort.
Speakers
Lejla Johnsen, Investment Partner at a16z speedrun
Seung Nam, Fictional AI (speedrun alumnus)
Momčilo Mrkaić, Hoid (speedrun alumnus)
Moderated by the Silicon Gardens team
What we’ll cover
How applications are read. What partners look at first, and what makes them keep reading.
Traction without revenue. What counts as momentum at an early stage
The team section. Why that’s where the decision is made, and how to show founder-market fit.
The interview. What founders were asked and what caught them off guard.
Applying from outside the US. Incorporation, relocating to SF, and what to sort out early.
What speedrun gives you. Twelve weeks in, from the founders’ side.
What to expect once you get accepted to the program.
Your questions. Live Q&A with all three speakers.
Who should apply
Founders who are applying, or plan to apply to a16z speedrun. Spots are limited to 30 founders only, and we review every application.
📅 Tuesday, 8 December 2026
🕗 8:00–9:00 AM PT / 17:00–18:00 CET
📍 Online. You’ll get the link after you register.
💸 Free
Silicon Gardens is organizing this event independently. Applications go only through speedrun.a16z.com/apply.