Maven, co-founded by Udemy’s Gagan Biyani and AltMBA’s Wes Kao, began in 2020 with a startup idea that perfectly combined two booming sectors: the creator economy and edtech. The startup sold cohort-based classes, led by creators and influencers, to students. The small-group classes were created by instructors and powered by classmates, a bet on the idea that anyone with expertise could be a teacher.
Now, two years after launching, and with $25 million in known funding from investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, First Round Capital, Naval Ravikant, Sahil Lavingia, Li Jin, Arlan Hamilton and more, Maven is pivoting its offering away from that original pitch.
The startup’s co-founders tell TechCrunch that it will now begin focusing less on courses built by creators who have multiple revenue streams and commitments to balance, and more on courses built by star employees within tech organizations. It’s a shift that comes after Maven students completed over