Udemy
Encyclopedia
Udemy is an online learning platform that allows instructors to host courses. The site was launched by Eren Bali and Gagan Biyani in 2010.
, Bali built software for a live virtual classroom. He saw potential in making the product free for everyone, so two years later, he moved to Silicon Valley
to found a company. While there, he joined the Founder Institute, where he met Gagan Biyani, who would become his co-founder. Biyani notes that they decided to create Udemy because "we saw a need. We’ve noticed there are thousands of people out there trying to teach over the internet, but they lack the technological capabilities to do it effectively."
In February 2010, the Udemy co-founders decided to raise money to fund their idea. They were rejected 30 times, largely because investors weren’t confident enough in the business to invest. In response to this, they bootstrapped
the development of the product and launched Udemy in May 2010. By July, 2,000 courses had been created and they had registered 10,000 users; with this success, they decided to attempt another round of financing. They used Adeo Ressi, the creator of the Founder List, and Darian Shirazi, the creator of Fwix
, to introduce them to potential investors and within two weeks, had $500K invested. They closed the round one week later with a total $1 million invested, with investments from 11 people, including Jeremy Stoppelman (CEO of Yelp
), Dave McClure
, and Keith Rabois (an early investor in YouTube
and LinkedIn
).
and live classes to create courses. Instructors are also allowed to engage and interact with users via online discussion boards.
Students can take courses across a breadth of categories, including: business & entrepreneurship, academics, the arts, health & fitness, language, music, and technology. Most courses on Udemy are free, but some are paid. Paid courses typically range in price from $5 - $250.
, The China Post
, Fast Company
and TechCrunch
, with Mashable
noting "Udemy offers an experience that rivals the real classroom, and should prove to be a useful utility for teachers and students of all subject matters."
History
In 2007 while in TurkeyTurkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Bali built software for a live virtual classroom. He saw potential in making the product free for everyone, so two years later, he moved to Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
to found a company. While there, he joined the Founder Institute, where he met Gagan Biyani, who would become his co-founder. Biyani notes that they decided to create Udemy because "we saw a need. We’ve noticed there are thousands of people out there trying to teach over the internet, but they lack the technological capabilities to do it effectively."
In February 2010, the Udemy co-founders decided to raise money to fund their idea. They were rejected 30 times, largely because investors weren’t confident enough in the business to invest. In response to this, they bootstrapped
Bootstrapping
Bootstrapping or booting refers to a group of metaphors that share a common meaning: a self-sustaining process that proceeds without external help....
the development of the product and launched Udemy in May 2010. By July, 2,000 courses had been created and they had registered 10,000 users; with this success, they decided to attempt another round of financing. They used Adeo Ressi, the creator of the Founder List, and Darian Shirazi, the creator of Fwix
Fwix
- Company Description :Fwix is a local information company for developers and media publishers. The mission of the company is to index the Web by location, specifically by organizing content on the Web by latitude and longitude coordinates. Fwix aggregates, in real-time, the news, events,...
, to introduce them to potential investors and within two weeks, had $500K invested. They closed the round one week later with a total $1 million invested, with investments from 11 people, including Jeremy Stoppelman (CEO of Yelp
Yelp
Yelp, Inc. is a company that operates yelp.com, a social networking, user review, and local search web site. Yelp.com has more than 54 million monthly unique visitors as of late 2010.- History :...
), Dave McClure
Dave McClure
Dave McClure is an entrepreneur and prominent angel investor based in the San Francisco Bay Area, who founded and runs the business incubator "500 Startups". He is often described as one of the super angel investors.-Bio:...
, and Keith Rabois (an early investor in YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
and LinkedIn
LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a business-related social networking site. Founded in December 2002 and launched in May 2003, it is mainly used for professional networking. , LinkedIn reports more than 120 million registered users in more than 200 countries and territories. The site is available in English, French,...
).
Site structure
Udemy serves as an online platform that allows instructors to build online courses on topics of their choosing Using Udemy’s content platform, they can upload video, PowerPoint, PDFs, audio, zip filesZIP (file format)
Zip is a file format used for data compression and archiving. A zip file contains one or more files that have been compressed, to reduce file size, or stored as is...
and live classes to create courses. Instructors are also allowed to engage and interact with users via online discussion boards.
Students can take courses across a breadth of categories, including: business & entrepreneurship, academics, the arts, health & fitness, language, music, and technology. Most courses on Udemy are free, but some are paid. Paid courses typically range in price from $5 - $250.
Reception
Udemy has been featured in The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, The China Post
The China Post
For the article on the postal system based in the People's Republic of China, see China Post.The China Post is one of the three English-language newspapers published in Taiwan , the other two being Taiwan News and the Taipei Times. It was established by Mr. and Mrs. Y.P. Huang in 1952...
, Fast Company
Fast Company
Fast Company can refer to:*Fast Company , starring Lon Chaney, Sr.*Fast Company , an Our Gang short*Fast Company , starring Evelyn Brent*Fast Company , featuring Deanna Durbin and Melvyn Douglas...
and TechCrunch
TechCrunch
TechCrunch is a web publication that offers technology news and analysis, as well as profiling of startup companies, products, and websites. It was founded by Michael Arrington in 2005, and was first published on June 11, 2005....
, with Mashable
Mashable
Mashable is an American news website and Internet news blog founded by Pete Cashmore. The website's primary focus is social media news, but also covers news and developments in mobile, entertainment, online video, business, web development, technology, memes and gadgets...
noting "Udemy offers an experience that rivals the real classroom, and should prove to be a useful utility for teachers and students of all subject matters."