Former Palantir duo’s startup Dream reportedly raises $17M from a16z to challenge Autodesk

Two Stanford roommates turned Palantir veterans are reportedly aiming AI models at one of design software's biggest incumbents Dream, a startup founded by two former Palantir veterans, has reportedly raised $17 million from Andreessen Horowitz, better known as a16z. The goal, per TechCrunch’s reporting, is to build AI models that can disrupt Autodesk, a long-established name in design and engineering software. Roommates first, cofounders second The founders are Andy Alder and Arjun Mather. They met as roommates at Stanford, where both studied computer science. After college, both spent a decade at Palantir, the data analytics company known for its government and enterprise work. Their roles there pointed in different directions. Alder’s work centered on defense and intelligence agencies. Mather rose to senior vice president in Palantir’s commercial practice, the side of the business that serves private companies. The pair decided to start a company together in early 2025. The $17 million question The reported round comes from a16z, one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent venture firms. The figure attached to the deal is $17 million. Autodesk is not a sleepy incumbent waiting to be t...