A16z gaming has launched a new Speedrun accelerator, with intentions to invest up to $75 million in the next class of pre-seed entrepreneurs at the crossroads of gaming and technology.
The first Speedrun came together quickly, as the venture capital firm began recruiting its first class of 32 entrepreneurs in March during the Game Developers Conference.
A16z’s Aim with Speedrun Accelerator
SPEEDRUN is about more than just demo day displays; it’s about transforming the way the word think about games, technology, and the types of founders who build them. Games are quickly becoming the most important sources of entertainment, a hub for social media, and cultural landmarks. a16z believes that the centre of this wave should be innovation and entrepreneurship.
Startups encourage more creativity, shorten development schedules, and, most crucially, liberate talent trapped within incumbent game businesses or outside the traditional gaming industry. SPEEDRUN Accelerator will assist propel brilliant studios, platform developers, and tool designers to forge the future of the game industry and interactive media in general through a planned blend of education, mentorship, community, and funding.
Who Runs the Game Department at a16z?
Troy is an Andreessen Horowitz Investment Partner. He focuses on investing in the technology, tools, and infrastructure that enable games and the metaverse as part of a16z Games’ GAMES FUND ONE.
Troy was a Senior Manager on the Corporate Strategy and Development team at Unity before joining Andreessen Horowitz, where he supervised over 20 acquisitions and directed multiple strategic growth projects. He began his investment banking career at Jefferies.
Troy has a B.S. in Commerce from The University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce.
GAMES FUND ONE by a16z
GAMES FUND ONE is a16z’s first fund focused to the future of the games industry. The founders of a16z feel there is no better moment than now to establish a fund dedicated to assisting the next generation of game developers.
GAMES FUND ONE is based on the premise that games will play a critical role in defining how we socialise, play, and work in the coming century. Over the last decade, games have evolved from being packaged entertainment to online services that more closely mimic social networks and grow like consumer technology firms. Furthermore, games are driving innovation throughout the consumer ecosystem by pioneering best-in-class mechanisms for user engagement, retention, and monetization such as microtransactions, battle passes, and web3 tokens.
What does the Game Dept at a16z Invest In?
Aspects of Investing
– Game Studios: Today’s top games are constantly updated online services in which players play a vital role through multiplayer and user-generated content. These “games-as-a-service” have evolved into complex, participatory social networks, with in-game player friendships rivalling those formed in reality.
– Consumer x Games: The rapidly rising global population of gamers has resulted in a robust ecosystem of consumer apps to support them. As gaming becomes the most popular method for people to spend their time, a16z believes that some of the most inventive consumer enterprises will be based on player communities.
– Infrastructure: As games expand into virtual worlds and online services, the demand for the tools and services required to create amazing games will only increase.
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