Udacity was founded by Sebastian Thrun in 2011 to provide free online courses focused on computer science. It has since expanded its course catalog, raised over $15 million from investors, and partnered with companies like Google and Nvidia. In 2014, Udacity launched a paid subscription service and an online Master's in Computer Science from Georgia Tech for $6,600. The company has found success by shifting from purely free courses to more vocational training through industry-oriented material and subscription services.

1. Company Presentation by Frank Tan

2. Products
• Free online courseware (CS focus)
• Paid tutoring service
• Certificates for completing courses

4. Financial Info
• $300,000 from co-founder/CEO Sebastian Thrun
• $15 million from Andreesen Horowitz
• Investments from Charles River Ventures
• ~$150/month for subscription
• Largest revenue source: Georgia Tech partnership
• No official numbers

5. Company History
• Sebastian Thrun: professor at CMU and Stanford, Google
X founder, worked on driverless cars
• 2011: Thrun puts Intro to AI online; 160,000 enroll
• 2012: First courses launched on Udacity website
• 2012-2013: Course catalog expansion, collaborations with
Google, Nvidia, et al.
• 2014: Site revamp, launch of subscription services

6. What’s Hot?
• January 15, 2014: launch of online Master’s in Computer
Science from Georgia Tech for $6,600

7. Secret Sauce
• Free basic courseware
• Industry-oriented material taught by industry leaders
• Course Management team

8. A Story
• Thrun, November 2013: “We have a lousy product”
• Reason: < 10% finished a course, fewer passed
• Audience recognized: working professionals
• Led to launch of subscription services
• Paradigm shift: more vocational training

9. Competition
• Coursera
• edX

10. Prediction
• Success!
• Found their niche