*By Madison Alworth*
MasterClass has raised an additional $80 million in funding, cementing the online learning platform's mission to make school "excite you again," said the co-founder and CEO.
"School often sucked the life out of us," David Rogier said Friday in an interview on Cheddar.
The latest round will be used to expand offerings in new categories and improve the student experience everywhere, beyond the U.S.
"We're going to launch in other countries, and we're going to launch classes in fields that we are not in yet, like business and politics," Rogier said.
MasterClass released its first three classes in 2015 and has since grown to offer 39 classes. Subscribers can take courses led by bestselling author James Patterson, famed journalist Bob Woodward, or chef Gordon Ramsay, among other giants of industry.
With its Series D funding, the company hopes to grow to 50 course offerings by the end of the year.
When conceiving new classes, Rogier said MasterClass relies on many parties. New instructors are added to the docket after the company polls MasterClass students, employees, and current instructors.
And, of course, there are always some teachers that MasterClass is eyeing for its "dream list."
"I would love to take a class from Warren Buffett. I would love to take a class from J.K. Rowling," Rogier said.
For the CEO, MasterClass would ideally be able to adapt in tandem with digital technology.
"The thing that I am most excited about, that we are just beginning to explore, is AR and VR. Imagine if you're going to learn a dance from Usher, how neat would it be to see where to put your feet," he said.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/masterclass-raises-additional-80-million-in-series-d).
If you have a flexible spending account, here's some short information for you so you don't leave money on the table.
With high healthcare costs, bills can quickly add up. In some cases, it is possible to negotiate your medical bills. Barak Richman, law professor at George Washington University, joined Cheddar News to discuss the easiest way to talk to medical debt companies about what's owed.
Millions of people have selected insurance plans for 2024 but sometimes navigating them can be tricky time consuming and expensive. Paula Pant, host of 'Afford Anything' podcast, joined Cheddar News to break down what's needed to know about their insurance plans.
The European Union is investigating Elon Musk's X over alleged illicit content and disinformation on its platform. Cheddar News breaks it all down and discusses what it could mean for users.
Adobe and Figma called off their $20 million merger, Southwest Airlines gets fined, Nippon Steel is buying U.S. Steel and oil and gas prices surge after a pause in shipments.
With more employees being called back to the office, many workers are suddenly protesting by being in the office for as little time as possible. As the term suggests, coffee-badging means coming in for just enough time to have a cup of coffee, show your face, and swipe your badge.
Japan's Nippon steel is buying U.S. Steel for $14.9 billion.
Southwest Airlines will pay a $35 million fine as part of a settlement over a 2022 holiday season disaster that saw the airline cancel thousands of flights and leave millions of people stranded.
Cheddar News' Need2Know is brought to you by Securitize, which helps unlock broader access to alternative investments in private businesses, funds, and other alternative assets. The private credit boom is here and the Hamilton Lane Senior Credit Opportunities Fund has tripled in assets under management in just six months from November 2022 through April this year. Visit Securitize.io to learn more.
Stocks opened slightly higher after Monday's opening bell after several weeks of gains as the year closes out.
Load More