
Lynda.com
As a long-time web design instructor, Lynda Weinman originally built her site, Lynda.com, in 1995 as a way to distribute resources to students and DVDs for her classes. With a passion for education and a belief that learning should be self-motivated as well as accessible and affordable, the business would evolve to offer online video courses in software, technology, creative design, and business skills. Today, it’s become a highly curated online and mobile marketplace where subscribers have access to a library of top-quality classes and tutorials taught by recognized experts. The company’s content catalogue is used by top universities, Fortune 50 companies, and millions of individual subscribers around the world.
After 17 years of being bootstrapped by Weinman and her husband, Bruce Heavin, Accel led the first investment in Lynda.com. International expansion followed, with coursework added in Spanish, French and German. Content was broadened in the enterprise arena, with the launch of general business and management skills topics. In 2015, Lynda.com was acquired by LinkedIn.