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Content Innovation Fund

Pioneer the future of learning
Your groundbreaking idea could reimagine how the world learns. That's why we're investing $2.5 million to support visionary instructors creating innovative content formats and breakthrough educational experiments.
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What the fund supports

Looking for inspiration? These creative examples show where we’re most excited about bold content innovation, but we welcome ambitious ideas from anywhere.
AI-Driven

Transform learning with AI. Imagine an immersive, all-Role Play course or using AI to generate dynamic case studies, quizzes, or examples that adapt to each learner's journey.

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What would you want an AI assistant to do that traditional video lessons could never achieve?
Where could AI enhance your course with personalized examples, instant feedback, or real-world simulations?
How could AI help learners master concepts faster and apply them immediately in real work?
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Experimental Formats

Go beyond standard video to elevate learning through ambitious, creative approaches, like documentary-style storytelling or dynamic content that evolves based on learner feedback.

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What learning experience would you design without any limitations?
How would your content evolve learning if students could engage through multiple immersive formats?
How could your creative vision surprise, delight, and fundamentally change how people learn?
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Personalized and Adaptive

Make learning truly individual. Create content that adapts to each learner’s needs, preferences, and goals through guided learning, multi-format delivery, or adaptive responses based on progress.

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How would upskilling transform if your content intelligently responded to learner inputs, projects, and goals?
What would personalized learning journeys look like based on experience, performance, or career aspirations?
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Ready to reshape learning?

We'll back visionary proposals that harness our features like Role Play and Labs, or break new ground with entirely innovative course approaches that solve real learner challenges in breakthrough ways.
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How we support you

Everything you need to turn innovative concepts into impactful learning experiences.

Financial funding to support development 

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Opportunity to shape future learning formats

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Visibility and amplification

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Financial funding to support development 

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Opportunity to shape future learning formats

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Visibility and amplification

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Join us in building the future of learning

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a strong application look like? 

Strong applications will clearly articulate the learner challenges they're solving, explain why their innovative approach is uniquely suited to create breakthrough results, and outline a thoughtful plan for pioneering new learning experiences. We're looking for proposals that could inspire the entire instructor community and set new standards for online education.

What does funding cover, and how much can I request?

Funding can cover instructor time, production, and any external resources necessary to support your proposal. You will be asked to provide a concise breakdown of your requested amount in your application. Amounts awarded will vary, and will balance strategic impact with fair support for instructor time and experimentation.

Who is eligible to apply for funding?

All Udemy instructors in good standing, including those with courses on the Marketplace, in Udemy Business or Personal Plan, and in our Multi-language Collection, are eligible to submit proposals for funding. The application will be available in English to start, followed by Spanish and Portuguese.

How will grants be evaluated & awarded?

Proposals will be evaluated based on strategic alignment with Udemy priorities, innovation and learning impact, and learner relevance. While we aim to fund as many promising ideas as possible, funding is limited and not all proposals will be accepted.

How long will the application be open?

The application will be open through April 17, 2026. We plan to run additional rounds of the fund in the future, so if you’re not ready to apply this time, you’ll have another opportunity.

Can I submit more than one proposal?

For this round, we’re limiting submissions to one proposal per instructor (or team), so we encourage you to submit the idea you’re most excited to pursue. We plan to open future rounds in the coming months, where additional proposals will be welcome.

Can co-instructors or teams of instructors apply together?

Yes, co-instructors or teams of instructors can apply together. Be sure to include all instructor information (names, email addresses, bios), along with details for how you plan to complete your proposed project together, in your proposal.

How quickly should I expect the review process and payment to go?

Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. While timing may vary depending on the proposal, you can generally expect to hear back on the status of your application within 6-8 weeks of submission.

For proposals that move forward, instructors will enter into an agreement with Udemy that outlines project scope, timelines, and payment terms. In most cases, payments will be issued following project completion or achievement of previously agreed-upon milestones.

Can I submit a proposal that requires capabilities Udemy doesn’t currently offer? 

We are excited about ideas that push beyond what’s currently possible on Udemy, as long as they’re within reason and have a clear path to potentially being implemented on the platform. In some cases, funding may support you in independently building and testing a prototype of your concept.

We’re most interested in ideas that extend or build on Udemy’s existing or emerging capabilities, rather than entirely separate experiences (e.g., VR environments, in-person events, or physical media). While these projects can help inform future platform innovation, funding does not guarantee that your project will be integrated into Udemy.

Who owns the content I create through the fund?

You will retain ownership of the content you create. Your Content Creation Agreement with Udemy will outline the licensing terms, project scope, timeline, and payment details. Revenue share will be calculated in accordance with the standard Instructor Terms and Promotions Policy. You'll have the opportunity to review all terms before accepting any funding.

What are my obligations if I receive funding?

If your proposal is selected, your Content Creation Agreement will include the following commitments:

- Publication period: Your content must remain available on the Udemy Platform for 24 months from the date of publication.
- Exclusivity: Funded content is subject to the exclusivity requirements in Udemy's Promotions Policy (Section 3.2).
- Quality standards: Content must meet Udemy's quality control standards prior to publication.
- Promotion: You agree to make best efforts to promote the content through your own channels, including social media and your website.
- Timely publication: If content is not published by the agreed deadline due to instructor delay, Udemy may seek reimbursement of any production costs already financed.

Full terms will be provided in your Content Creation Agreement before you accept any funding.