Khan Academy
Khan Academy is a nonprofit educational organization providing free, high-quality learning resources in math, science, computing, economics, and more. Founded in 2008, it serves millions of learners and educators globally with interactive exercises, videos, and personalized dashboards.
The Story
Khan Academy was founded in 2008 by Salman Khan with a simple idea: free, high-quality education for anyone, anywhere. What began as online math tutorials for a young cousin has grown into a global nonprofit platform serving millions of registered users across fifty languages.
The platform offers thousands of interactive exercises, instructional videos, and articles covering subjects from early math to advanced calculus, from biology to computer science, and from economics to art history. Its adaptive technology personalizes the learning experience, helping students master skills at their own pace while providing teachers with tools to support classroom instruction.
Khan Academy operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, relying on donations rather than advertising or subscription fees. Major supporters include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Google, and individual donors worldwide. The organization has expanded into Khan Lab School, Khan World School, and Schoolhouse.world, a peer-to-peer tutoring platform launched during the pandemic to connect students globally.
Key Facts & Metrics
Products & Services
Khan Academy Platform
A free online learning platform offering personalized exercises, video lessons, and progress tracking for students and teachers across 50 languages.
Company Timeline
2004 — First tutoring videos created
Sal Khan began recording short math videos to tutor his cousin remotely, uploading them to YouTube.
2008 — Khan Academy founded as nonprofit
Sal Khan left his hedge fund job to focus full-time on Khan Academy, registering it as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
2012 — Bill Gates becomes major donor
Bill Gates began using Khan Academy videos to tutor his own children, becoming one of the platform's earliest high-profile supporters and donors.
2015 — Khan Lab School opens
Khan Academy launched a physical laboratory school in Mountain View, California to test innovative, mastery-based educational practices.
2020 — Schoolhouse.world launched
A free peer-to-peer tutoring platform was created during the pandemic to connect students across time zones for live, global tutoring sessions.
