Coursera to buy Udemy, creating $3.2 billion firm to target AI training
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Coursera and Udemy bet that a combined platform will be better positioned to capture corporate demand for workforce training, particularly in AI, data science and software development.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LOS ANGELES – Online education platform Coursera said on Dec 17 it would buy rival Udemy in an all-stock deal, valuing the combined company at US$2.5 billion (S$3.2 billion), as the industry consolidates after a post-pandemic slowdown and heightened investor scrutiny.
Udemy shareholders would receive a 0.8 share of Coursera for each held, valuing the company at about US$930 million, according to Reuters calculations.
Coursera shares were up 6 per cent in pre-market trading, while Udemy rose about 18 per cent.
The deal unites two of the largest US-based online learning platforms at a time when consumer course enrolment growth has cooled from Covid-19 pandemic highs
Coursera and Udemy bet that a combined platform will be better positioned to capture corporate demand for workforce training, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), data science and software development, as employers invest in reskilling workers amid rapid advances in generative AI.
Based on Coursera’s last close, the offer implies a price of US$6.35 per Udemy share, a premium of roughly 18.3 per cent.
The companies said the deal is expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals.
Coursera, which partners with universities and institutions to offer degree programmes and professional certificates, has increasingly focused on enterprise customers, while Udemy operates a marketplace of independent instructors selling individual courses and subscriptions to businesses.
Despite companies pitching AI upskilling as a major growth opportunity,
Shares of online education companies have lagged broader markets amid concerns over competition, pricing pressure and uncertain returns from AI-related investments.
Udemy shares have fallen about 35 per cent so far in 2025, while Coursera is down roughly 7 per cent over the same period, leaving both companies trading well below their post-initial public offering highs. REUTERS
