Campus, an community college startup that connects students with top-tier professors from universities such as UCLA, Princeton, and NYU, has raised a $23 million Series A extension round.
The community college startup
In American higher education, community colleges serve as gateways for students aiming to transfer to four-year universities. However, only 16% of these students achieve a bachelor’s degree within six years.
Campus operates on a model that rethinks the approach to college education. It is reportedly the first fully accredited, nationally focused community college built on a network of adjunct professors from prestigious universities.
By paying professors $8,000 per course—significantly above the national average—Campus attracts top academic talent while making higher education more accessible.
“I got obsessed with the idea of giving everybody access to these amazing professors,” said Campus founder Tade Oyerinde.
Federal Pell Grants fully cover the annual tuition of $7,200 for eligible students, enabling about 40% of enrollees to attend for free.
Moreover, all students benefit from free laptops, Wi-Fi, tutoring, and personalized coaching to ensure they stay on track.
A $23M Series A extension
The recent $23 million Series A extension was led by the Founders Fund, with participation from 8VC. Campus is the first edtech company in Founder’s Fund’s portfolio.
“I think the structure is kind of a hack,” said partner Trae Stephens, per TechCrunch. “You can get the cost low enough that there are no out-of-pocket costs. That’s very hard to do when there are overhead costs attached.”
This funding follows an initial $29 million Series A round backed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Discord founder Jason Citron.
It aims to expand the Campus’s innovative offerings, which now include in-person courses in fields like phlebotomy and medical assistance at a physical college in Sacramento.
It aims to expand the Campus’s innovative offerings, which now include in-person courses in fields like phlebotomy and medical assistance at a physical college in Sacramento.
Featured image credit: Alex Choi
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