Dive Summary:
- Coursera announced today that it brought in another $43 million in funding, which the MOOC provider plans to use to double its team, further develop its product and initiate a global marketing push for online education--particularly in the developing world.
- The latest round of series B funding came from GSV Capital, International Finance Corporation, the World Bank's investment arm, Laureate Education Inc., and Learn Capital, and the company has raised $65 million in funding to date.
- Although founders Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller insist that Coursera isn't meant to be an alternative to college, the approval of several courses for credit by the American Council on Education has given the young MOOC movement legitimacy, and the company plans to continue expanding its partnerships with textbook publishers, as well as colleges and universities.
From the article:
... Koller will focus on marketing Coursera in the developing world, and will target specific universities. She is particularly passionate about bringing online education to young women.
“If you want to improve a society, the most significant thing you can do is educate its girls [and] we are committed to that,” said Koller. ...
