Khan Academy is a learning platform founded on the belief that education is a human right, providing free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere. What started as one man tutoring his cousin has grown into a 150-person organization empowering learners to study at their own pace through practice exercises, instructional videos, and personalized learning dashboards covering subjects from kindergarten through early college—including math, science, reading, computing, history, art history, economics, financial literacy, and test prep for SAT, MCAT, and more. Khan Academy focuses on skill mastery to help learners build the strong foundations they need to succeed in higher education and careers, while providing free tools for parents and teachers to understand what their children or students are up to and how best to help them. Supported by individual contributions rather than ads or subscriptions, Khan Academy’s resources are being translated into more than 36 languages, with millions of students from all over the world—each with their own unique story—learning at their own pace every single day.
Why It Matters: Khan Academy demonstrates that world-class education can be democratized through technology and generosity rather than gatekept by economic barriers, serving millions of learners from age 7 to 72 who might otherwise lack access to quality instruction. By focusing on skill mastery rather than seat time and providing personalized dashboards for both learners and their coaches, Khan Academy addresses the reality that people learn at different paces and need individualized support to build strong foundations. The organization’s global reach across 36+ languages proves that the aspiration for learning is universal, and that providing free, high-quality educational resources creates a more equitable world where anyone, anywhere can pursue knowledge.
