Tade Oyerinde’s Startup Raises $46m From Silicon Valley Investor

Tech entrepreneur, Tade Oyerinde, a Nigerian-born innovator, has secured $46million in Series B funding for his for-profit community college startup, Campus, aiming to reshape higher education accessibility in the United States.

The investment, led by General Catalyst and announced on March 20, brings Campus’ total funding to over $100 million.

The company aims to make higher education more accessible and affordable, offering online associate degrees and certifications in fields like business administration, medical assisting, and applied artificial intelligence.

“Campus has created a model that is rooted in the rigour and legacy of American higher education with the benefit of technology and innovation that students will require to thrive in an increasingly competitive global economy,” said Ken Chenault, chairman of General Catalyst, in a statement.

Founded in 2022, Campus offers live, online courses that lead to two-year associate degrees and certifications in fields such as business administration, technical support, cosmetology, and medical assisting.

Observer reports that the institution also provides an applied AI concentration, responding to a job market where AI-related opportunities have surged by more than 70% in the past five years.

With tuition at $7,200 per year — covered by full Pell Grant awards — Campus positions itself as a low-cost alternative to traditional colleges, where costs range from $11,000 to $43,000 annually.

The U.S. higher education system is under increasing financial strain, with student loan debt soaring to nearly $1.8 trillion.

Altman, who co-led a $29 million funding round for Campus in 2023, has previously warned that America’s higher education model is on the brink of collapse due to its unsustainable costs.
Campus isn’t just catering to students—it’s also providing new opportunities for professors.

The startup employs over 100 educators, many of whom also teach at prestigious institutions like Princeton, Stanford, and Howard University.

Graduates of Campus have gone on to four-year universities, including New York University, Penn State, and the University of California, San Diego.

The company also helps students enter the workforce immediately after completing their programs.

“It’s really simple,” said Oyerinde in a statement.

“In America, we should have elite education for everyone—everyone should be able to learn from the top professors in the country, develop useful skills, and then go on to use those skills to create a great life for themselves,” Oyerinde said.