Code.org
Code.org is a company.
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Leadership Team
Key people at Code.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded Code.org?
Code.org was founded by Hadi Partovi (Founder, CEO).
Code.org is a company.
Key people at Code.org.
Code.org was founded by Hadi Partovi (Founder, CEO).
Code.org was founded by Hadi Partovi (Founder, CEO).
Key people at Code.org.
Code.org is not a company but a registered 501(c)(3) public nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to K-12 computer science (CS) and AI education for every student, with a focus on increasing participation by women and underrepresented groups.[1][2][3] It achieves this through self-guided online courses, teacher training, district partnerships, policy advocacy, and international expansion, serving over 92 million students and 2 million teachers worldwide while breaking stereotypes and promoting diversity in tech.[3][5] Backed by major donors like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, Code.org has driven policy changes, such as ensuring CS counts toward graduation requirements in all 50 U.S. states, fueling a global movement for equitable CS education.[1][3][5]
Code.org was founded in 2013 by twin brothers Hadi Partovi (CEO) and Ali Partovi in Seattle, both entrepreneurs with tech backgrounds—Hadi had been a Microsoft engineer and intern, founding teams at Tellme and iLike, and advising startups like Facebook and Dropbox.[1][2][3][5][7] The idea emerged from their concern over limited CS access in U.S. schools; they launched with a viral YouTube video "What Most Schools Don’t Teach," featuring stars like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Gabe Newell, which hit #1 on YouTube and drew outreach from 15,000 schools.[1][2][5] Starting as a bootstrapped volunteer effort, it rapidly grew into a full organization, building on decades of prior CS education advocacy, reaching 80 million students by its 10-year mark in 2023 with nearly $60 million in funding.[1][5]
Code.org rides the wave of CS and AI as foundational skills amid the AI revolution, addressing workforce demands where CS understanding underpins daily life and future jobs, much like reading or math.[3][5] Timing is critical: launched when CS was rarely offered or elective, it capitalized on tech giants' support to shift curricula nationwide, growing from near-zero access to millions of students amid rising AI/tech needs.[3][5] Market forces like corporate philanthropy (e.g., Microsoft partnership empowering 92 million students) and bipartisan policy wins favor it, while it influences the ecosystem by diversifying tech talent pipelines, training teachers at scale, and exporting models internationally.[1][3][5]
Code.org's momentum—92 million students reached, universal U.S. policy wins—positions it to deepen AI integration in CS curricula, expand globally, and sustain diversity gains as AI reshapes education and jobs.[3][5] Trends like teacher-led CS adoption and corporate backing will propel it, potentially influencing federal AI education standards and closing persistent gaps. Its evolution from viral video to policy powerhouse underscores enduring impact, ensuring CS remains a core opportunity, not a privilege, for generations ahead.[1][3]
