MasterClass is an online education platform offering pre-recorded tutorials and lectures by experts in diverse fields. Founded by David Rogier and Aaron Rasmussen, it operates on a subscription model, providing students access to high-quality instruction from leading figures in their respective industries.
May 12, 2015: MasterClass Launch
MasterClass officially launched on May 12, 2015, under its current name after initially operating as "Yanka Industries".
2015: Initial Launch and Instructors
MasterClass launched in 2015 with three initial instructors.
2016: Funding Round
MasterClass secured $15 million in funding in 2016.
January 2017: Co-founder Departure
Aaron Rasmussen, co-founder and CTO, as well as creative director, left MasterClass in January 2017.
2017: Funding Round
MasterClass raised $35 million in funding in 2017.
2017: Class Expansion and Removal
Twelve new classes were added to MasterClass in 2017. Later that year, Kevin Spacey's acting class was removed due to sexual assault allegations against him.
April 2018: Mobile Support Added
MasterClass added support for mobile devices in April 2018, making the platform accessible to a wider audience.
2018: Funding Round
MasterClass raised $80 million in funding in 2018.
June 2019: New CMO
David Schriber joined MasterClass as Chief Marketing Officer in June 2019.
2019: James Beard Award
Dominique Ansel's MasterClass on French pastries won a James Beard Foundation Broadcast Media Award in the Online Video, Fixed Location and/or Instructional category in 2019.
2019: Expansion into New Topics
In 2019, MasterClass expanded its course offerings into new subject areas including politics, economics, and video game design.
May 2020: Series E Funding
In May 2020, MasterClass raised $100 million in a Series E funding round led by Fidelity Investments, bringing total funding to about $240 million.
2020: Webby Awards
MasterClass won two Webby Awards in 2020: one for Education & Reference in the Apps, Mobile & Voice category and another for Media Streaming in the Web category.
May 2021: Series F Funding and Valuation
In May 2021, MasterClass raised $225 million in a Series F funding round, resulting in a $2.75 billion valuation.
2021: Webby Awards
MasterClass received two Webby Awards and a Webby People's Voice Award in 2021.
June 2022: Layoffs
Citing a worsening macroeconomic environment, MasterClass laid off 20% of its staff in June 2022.