TakeLessons is a technology company.
TakeLessons has raised $17.0M across 3 funding rounds.
TakeLessons has raised $17.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
TakeLessons is an edtech platform that connects students with individual tutors for personalized lessons in music, languages, academic subjects, test prep, professional skills, crafts, sports, and hobbies, offered both online and in-person.[1][2][3] It serves learners of all ages seeking one-on-one or group instruction via its Live platform, solving the challenge of finding matched, verified teachers amid fragmented local options, with a pivot to online dominating post-pandemic.[1][2] Founded in 2006 in San Diego, it raised at least $20 million from investors like LightBank, Uncork Capital, and Crosslink Capital before Microsoft acquired it in September 2021 to bolster its edtech presence, particularly integrating with Teams used by over 100 million students; post-acquisition, it continues operating to expand globally.[1][3]
TakeLessons was founded in 2006 by Steven Cox in San Diego, initially as a marketplace to connect people with local in-person tutors, starting with music lessons to help individuals pursue passions without letting day jobs overshadow dreams.[1][2][4] Cox, motivated by enabling personal growth through accessible education, grew the platform to include online options, languages, academics, and niche skills like parkour or Excel macros, attracting hundreds of millions of visits and millions of lesson minutes.[1][2] Early traction built on in-person matching evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic, shifting to majority online one-on-one and group sessions, leading to Microsoft's 2021 acquisition after $20 million in VC funding from firms like Crosslink Capital and SoftTech VC.[1][3]
TakeLessons rides the edtech wave accelerated by COVID-19, where remote learning surged—exemplified by Microsoft Teams' adoption by 100 million students—fueling demand for personalized, hybrid tutoring beyond traditional classrooms.[1][3] Its timing aligns with market forces like the shift to online marketplaces for niche skills (music, arts, hobbies), filling gaps in scalable, one-on-one instruction amid global education digitization.[1][2] By joining Microsoft's ecosystem alongside LinkedIn Learning, it influences the landscape by enhancing corporate-to-consumer edtech integration, providing strategic infrastructure for hybrid models and amplifying access to verified instructors worldwide.[1][3]
Under Microsoft since 2021, TakeLessons is positioned to scale its marketplace globally, leveraging vast resources to attract top tutors, expand subjects, and integrate deeply with Teams for seamless hybrid education.[1][2] Trends like AI-enhanced matching, lifelong learning for skills like professional training, and persistent remote/hybrid demand will shape its path, potentially evolving into a core pillar of Microsoft's consumer edtech strategy. This acquisition trajectory underscores how specialized platforms like TakeLessons amplify big tech's play in personalized learning, tying back to its roots in empowering passions through accessible, matched instruction.[1][3]
TakeLessons has raised $17.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
TakeLessons's investors include Bessemer Venture Partners, Brand Foundry Ventures, Broadway Angels, Cendana Capital, Crane Venture Partners, Crosslink Capital, Fika Ventures, Floodgate, Lightbank, Precursor Ventures, Uncork Capital, Aaron Patzer.
TakeLessons has raised $17.0M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $7.0M Series C in March 2014.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2014 | $7.0M Series C | Bessemer Venture Partners, Brand Foundry Ventures, Broadway Angels, Cendana Capital, Crane Venture Partners, Crosslink Capital, Fika Ventures, Floodgate, Lightbank, Precursor Ventures, Uncork Capital, Aaron Patzer, Adam Schwartz, Harris Barton, Jawed Karim, Jim McLean, Karl Jacob, Nic Brisbourne, Russell Fradin, Russ Fradin, Tom McInerney | |
| Dec 1, 2012 | $4.0M Series A | Broadway Angels, Cendana Capital, Crane Venture Partners, Crosslink Capital, Fika Ventures, Precursor Ventures, Uncork Capital, Harris Barton, Jim McLean, Nic Brisbourne | |
| Aug 1, 2011 | $6.0M Series A | Broadway Angels, Cendana Capital, Crane Venture Partners, Crosslink Capital, Fika Ventures, Precursor Ventures, Uncork Capital, Harris Barton, Jim McLean, Nic Brisbourne |