2U (company)
2U (formerly 2tor Inc.) is an educational technology company that partners with universities to offer online degree programs.[1][2][3][4] The company supplies its partner universities with technology, coursework design, infrastructural support and capital to deliver instruction to students. 2U was founded in 2008 by John Katzman (founder of The Princeton Review); co-founders include Chip Paucek (former CEO of Hooked on Phonics) and Jeremy Johnson. In 2012, 2U was declared as the 8th most innovative educational company on Fast Company’s list of "The World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies."[5]
The company is venture-backed and has raised $96 million to date. Investors include Bessemer Venture Partners, Highland Capital Partners, Redpoint Ventures, Novak Biddle Venture Partners, City Light Capital, SVB Capital and WestRiver Capital.[6]
Schools using 2U to power online programs include:[7]
- American University, School of International Service
- George Washington University, School of Public Health and Health Sciences
- Georgetown University, School of Nursing and Health Studies
- Simmons College, School of Nursing and Health Sciences
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kenan-Flagler Business School
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Government
- University of Southern California, Rossier School of Education
- University of Southern California, School of Social Work
- Washington University in St. Louis, School of Law
2U's "Semester Online" consortium of undergraduate course offerings are offered through: Boston College, Brandeis University, Emory University, Northwestern, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Notre Dame, Wake Forest University, and Washington University in St. Louis.[8]
In July 2013, 2U and the University of California, Berkeley announced a partnership to offer an online Master of Information and Data Science through the Berkeley School of Information.[9]
The company's original name was an homage to founder Katzman's deceased chocolate lab, Gigantor "Tor" Katzman.
References
- ↑ "2tor gets $10M credit line - Washington Business Journal". Bizjournals.com. 2012-04-18. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
- ↑ Alyson Shontell, provided by (2012-04-18). "There Are A Million Education Startups And No One To Acquire Them". Sfgate.com. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
- ↑ Heather R. Huhman (2012-04-11). "The Future Of Education: How 2tor Is Helping America’s Great Universities Go Online - Business Insider". Articles.businessinsider.com. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
- ↑ Bolshaw, Liz (2012-04-16). "Out of sight but not out of mind in the virtual world". FT.com. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
- ↑ "The World's 50 Most Innovative Companies: Top 10 Education". Fast Company. 2012.
- ↑ "Online Higher Education Gets a Raise as 2tor Secures $26 M. in Series D Funding Round". Betabeat. 2012.
- ↑ "Universities". Retrieved 24 September 2013.
- ↑ "Universities". 2U, Inc. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
- ↑ Palin, Adam (17 July 2013). "Berkeley and 2U to launch online data science degree". Financial Times. Retrieved 24 September 2013.