Big Deal: Bertelsmann re-enrols in Udacity

Nov 16, 2015 • Robert Lavine

Bertelsmann led coding course provider Udacity's $105m series D round days after investing $230m in education technology producer HotChalk, possibly heralding a big drive in educational corporate venturing for the firm.

Media conglomerate Bertelsmann’s investment in Udacity, a US-based provider of online programming courses, last week appears to herald a shift in strategy, in which its recently formed Education Group unit will become a more proactive investor.

Bertelsmann led Udacity’s $105m series D round, closed at a $1bn valuation, which also featured participation from corporate venturing unit Google Ventures, Baillie Gifford, Emerson Collective, Andreessen Horowitz, Charles River Ventures and Drive Capital, while Bertelsmann Education Group CEO Kay Krafft joined Udacity’s…

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