# Adrian Ridner

> Adrian Ridner is the CEO and Co-Founder of Study.com, one of the world's most visited online education platforms serving 34+ million monthly users. An Argentine-Jewish immigrant who navigated multiple countries before settling in California, Ridner built Study.com from a bootstrapped startup in 2002 into a 4,100-person company offering 20,000+ micro-video lessons and 200+ transferable college courses. His Working Scholars program has saved graduates $20 million in tuition and is particularly focused on first-generation college students and students of color. Ridner is a recipient of the ASU+GSV 2022 Innovator of Color Award and Silicon Valley Business Journal's 40 Under 40.

- **Role:** CEO & Co-Founder at Study.com
- **Organizations:** Study.com, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Advisory Council, Riecken Community Libraries
- **From:** Argentina
- **Nationality:** American (Argentine-born)
- **Education:** B.S. in Computer Science / Engineering, California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo, M.S. in Computer Science, California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo
- **Known for:** Co-founded Study.com, serving 34+ million monthly learners across 6 continents, Built a 4,100-person company from a bootstrapped, self-funded startup with no significant VC investment, Saved students $475 million in tuition costs through affordable online education

## Career timeline

- **2000** — Began career as Software Engineer at Hewlett-Packard
- **2002** — Co-founded Study.com (then called Education Portal / Remilon LLC) with Ben Wilson
- **2003** — Left HP to focus full-time on the education startup
- **2009** — Secured initial grant/prize funding for Study.com
- **2015** — Rebranded and scaled platform as Study.com, expanded to college-credit courses
- **2017** — Launched Working Scholars program - accelerated bachelor's degrees for working adults
- **2018** — Working Scholars named California Non-Profit of the Year
- **2019** — Named to Silicon Valley Business Journal's 40 Under 40
- **2020** — Selected for Silicon Valley Leadership Group's Game Changers 2020
- **2022** — Received ASU+GSV Innovator of Color Award; Study.com named to GSV EdTech 150
- **2023** — Acquired Enhanced Prep (February 2023)
- **2025** — Working Scholars class of 2025 collectively saved $20M in tuition

## Achievements

- Co-founded Study.com, serving 34+ million monthly learners across 6 continents
- Built a 4,100-person company from a bootstrapped, self-funded startup with no significant VC investment
- Saved students $475 million in tuition costs through affordable online education
- Launched Working Scholars program, helping working adults earn degrees with little-to-no debt
- Donated $24-29 million to social impact education programs
- ASU+GSV 2022 Innovator of Color Award recipient
- Silicon Valley Business Journal 40 Under 40 (2019)
- Silicon Valley Latino Trailblazer Award recipient
- Silicon Valley Leadership Group Game Changers 2020
- Study.com earned ESSA Level IV evidence recognition - highest standard for educational effectiveness
- Named to GSV EdTech 150 (2022)
- Advisory Council Member for Cal Poly's Engineering & Computer Science program
- Board Member, Riecken Community Libraries (supporting literacy in Central America)

## Latest updates

- **2025-01** — Study.com's Working Scholars class of 2025 collectively saved $20 million in tuition costs
- **2023-02** — Study.com acquired Enhanced Prep to expand test preparation offerings
- **2022-04** — Received ASU+GSV 2022 Innovator of Color Award at the ASU+GSV Summit
- **2022-01** — Study.com named to GSV EdTech 150 list of top education technology companies

## Links

- Website: https://study.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianridner/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/adrianridner
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/StudyDotCom

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/adrian-ridner
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-31