About MasterClass
MasterClass was founded in 2015 by David Rogier and Aaron Rasmussen, based on the observation that most online learning platforms of the era offered courses taught by relatively unknown instructors using fairly basic production quality, while there was a significant opportunity to build online courses around genuinely famous, world-renowned experts and celebrities in their respective fields, produced with cinematic-quality video production more comparable to a documentary film than typical online course video content, betting that the aspirational appeal of learning directly from a recognized master in a field, combined with premium production values, could justify a premium subscription price point relative to more basic online learning platforms.
The company's course catalog spans an unusually broad range of subjects, including cooking taught by renowned chefs, writing taught by acclaimed authors, filmmaking taught by celebrated directors, business strategy taught by prominent entrepreneurs and executives, and many other creative, culinary, athletic, and professional subjects, with each course built around a single recognizable expert or celebrity instructor rather than the broader catalog of many different, less individually famous instructors that some competing platforms offer. MasterClass operates on an all-access annual subscription model, giving subscribers access to its full course catalog rather than requiring separate purchases for each individual course, a model designed to encourage subscribers to explore a wide range of subjects beyond whatever specific course initially attracted them to the platform. The company has invested heavily in cinematic production values for its courses, including elaborate sets and high production budgets uncommon in the broader online education industry, positioning the actual watching experience closer to premium streaming entertainment content than typical instructional video, a positioning that has helped MasterClass build significant brand recognition and cultural visibility beyond the online education category specifically. MasterClass has raised substantial venture funding from investors including Fidelity, IVP, and Javelin Venture Partners, reaching a valuation exceeding $2.75 billion at its peak, competing in the broader premium online learning and creator-led education category.
