MONEY MASTERS: Udacity and Coursera competitor MasterClass, a platform where celebrities host online classes, has raised $80 million in a Series D round led by venture fund IVP that also included Javelin Ventures, NEA, Advancit Capital, Atomico and Evolution Media, reports TechCrunch.
The San Francisco-based company, founded in 2014 by David Rogier and Aaron Rasmussen, previously raised more than $54 million for its self-paced, lifelong-learning courses that boast big names such as basketball star Steph Curry, author Margaret Atwood and Oscar winner Helen Mirren. The classes are structured more like online tutorials, lasting between three and six hours and cost $90 each (a $180 annual subscription is also on tap).
Co-founder Rogier says sales doubled in 2017 and may do so again this year. While the company has not revealed revenue or even a valuation, it compared its revenue situation to online course providers Udacity and Coursera, which take in between $70 to $100 million annually, according to TechCrunch.
