Coursera
American online learning platform offering courses, specializations, and degrees from universities and companies worldwide.
Company Type
public
Founded
2012
Headquarters
Mountain View, California, USA
Stock
NYSE: COUR
Revenue
~$635M (FY2024)
Employees
~3,000
Primary Market
Global
About Coursera
Coursera provides online courses, certifications, and degree programs in partnership with universities and organizations worldwide. The platform offers various learning formats to serve different educational needs and career goals.
Key offerings include:
- Individual courses on diverse subjects from university partners
- Professional certificates developed with industry leaders
- Online degree programs in collaboration with universities
- Specializations and guided projects for skill development
- Corporate training solutions through Coursera for Business
The platform serves individual learners seeking to advance their careers, students pursuing degrees, and organizations requiring employee training and development programs. Courses are available in multiple languages and cover subjects ranging from computer science and business to arts and humanities.
Coursera operates on a mixed revenue model, charging for certificates and degree programs while offering some course content for free. This approach balances accessibility with revenue generation and sustainable business operations.
History of Coursera
Coursera was founded in 2012 by Stanford University computer science professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller. The founders began offering their Stanford courses online in fall 2011, and the positive response led them to leave Stanford and launch Coursera as a dedicated platform.
The first universities to offer content on Coursera were Princeton, Stanford, the University of Michigan, and the University of Pennsylvania. This initial partnership with prestigious institutions established Coursera's credibility and academic rigor in the online education space.
The company grew rapidly, adding more university partners and expanding its course offerings. In 2014, Coursera received both the Webby Winner and People's Voice Winner awards in the Websites and Mobile Sites Education category, recognizing its excellence in educational technology.
Coursera filed for its initial public offering in March 2021. The nine-year-old company reported roughly $293 million in revenue for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, representing a 59% growth rate from 2019. However, net losses widened to $66.8 million in 2020, with the company spending $107 million on marketing that year.
The company continued expanding its partnerships and course offerings, working with universities and organizations globally to provide courses, certifications, and degree programs. Coursera also developed professional certificate programs in partnership with major technology companies like Google, IBM, and Facebook.
In February 2021, Coursera announced its B Corporation certification, demonstrating its commitment to social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.
The most significant recent development came in December 2025 when Coursera agreed to acquire Udemy for approximately $930 million in equity. This acquisition combines Coursera's university partnership model with Udemy's marketplace approach, creating a comprehensive online learning platform.
Brands Owned by Coursera
Coursera owns 0 brands in our database.
Stock Information
Coursera Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Prestigious university partnerships providing academic credibility
- +Strong brand recognition in online education
- +Diverse revenue streams from courses, certificates, and degrees
- +Global reach with 300+ university and organization partners
- +Strategic acquisition of Udemy expanding market coverage
Considerations
- -Competition from other online learning platforms
- -High marketing costs contributing to net losses
- -Dependence on university partnership relationships
- -Integration challenges following Udemy acquisition
- -Need for continuous innovation in educational technology
Frequently Asked Questions About Coursera
Is Coursera a publicly traded company?
Yes, Coursera is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker COUR. The company went public in March 2021.
Who founded Coursera?
Coursera was founded in 2012 by Stanford University computer science professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller. They started by offering their Stanford courses online before launching the platform.
What is Coursera acquiring?
Coursera agreed to acquire Udemy in December 2025 for approximately $930 million in equity, creating a combined company valued at $2.5 billion.
How many partners does Coursera have?
Coursera partners with over 300 universities and organizations worldwide to offer courses, certifications, and degree programs on its platform.
What services does Coursera offer?
Coursera provides online courses, professional certificates, degree programs, and corporate training solutions in partnership with universities and organizations across various subjects and disciplines.
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