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Aaron Rasmussen

Aaron Rasmussen is an entrepreneur, inventor, and game designer best known for co-founding the online learning platform in 2015 and founding Outlier.org, an affordable higher education initiative, in 2018. Rasmussen earned a in Mass Communications and a in from in 2006, where he attended on a and gained early recognition as an inventor. While a student in 2005, he created the world's first autonomous robotic , a project that attracted international media attention for its innovative use of and mechanics. After , Rasmussen launched ventures in diverse fields, including an industrial company and Harcos Laboratories, a beverage firm that produced novelty energy drinks like Zombie Blood before its sale. In addition to his business achievements, Rasmussen has made contributions to gaming and media; he co-created BlindSide, an award-winning audio-only survival horror game in 2012, inspired by his personal experience with temporary blindness, which is being adapted into a film. At , where he served as creative director and chief technology officer, Rasmussen helped develop immersive courses taught by experts such as and , revolutionizing accessible education through high-production-value video content. His work at Outlier.org, which was acquired by Savvas Learning Company in 2024, focuses on partnering with universities to offer low-cost, expert-led online courses for college credit, aiming to address inequities in access. Rasmussen continues to serve on boards, including the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and writes on topics intersecting education, innovation, and .

Early life and education

Early life

Aaron Rasmussen was born and raised in rural in a large family where played a central role. His father worked as a teacher, fostering an environment rich in discussions about learning and , while his mother managed the household. Growing up in this setting instilled in Rasmussen a curiosity-driven from an early age, influenced by his parents' emphasis on and . As a teenager, Rasmussen displayed a strong fascination with science and technology, engaging in self-taught pursuits that highlighted his inventive tendencies. He began at the age of seven, demonstrating an early aptitude for computers, and by eleven, he had enrolled in his first college-level . His interest in was evident even in childhood, sparking a lifelong passion for interactive digital experiences. These hobbies, combined with hands-on experiments in science, reflected his drive to tinker and innovate independently. A pivotal incident during high school further shaped Rasmussen's trajectory. While conducting a chemistry experiment involving and , an unintended reaction caused a powerful that temporarily blinded him. The blast damaged his corneas, requiring emergency treatment, but his sight eventually returned as the corneas regrew. This harrowing experience heightened his appreciation for vision and profoundly influenced his later creative work, particularly in , where it inspired the development of , an audio-only that simulates navigating without sight. This formative period of experimentation and resilience propelled Rasmussen toward formal studies at , where he pursued and .

Education

Rasmussen attended from approximately 2002 to 2006, where he pursued dual degrees in and mass communications. He earned a in and a in Mass Communications in 2006, blending technical coursework with studies in and . A high school chemistry accident that temporarily blinded him further influenced his inventive interests, which carried into his university projects focused on technology and automation. During his junior year, as part of the Image and Video Computing course in the department, Rasmussen collaborated with his brother Ezra to develop a fully automated robotic in 2005. The project was developed as a summer endeavor before his junior year. This student project demonstrated an integrated system using algorithms to detect and track human targets via a sensor, paired with servo motors and actuators for precise aiming and firing of 6mm BBs from an replica. Designed primarily for educational demonstration rather than practical defense, the showcased real-time image processing for automated targeting, running on a standard PC without specialized hardware. The invention garnered significant recognition, including international media coverage on tech sites and news outlets, highlighting its novelty as an accessible DIY project. While specific academic awards for Rasmussen's undergraduate work are not widely documented, his project exemplified his engagement in extracurricular technology pursuits, aligning with his marketing studies through public demonstrations and online dissemination.

Career

Early inventions and game design

Following his graduation from Boston University with degrees in computer science and advertising, Aaron Rasmussen began applying his technical and marketing skills to inventive projects in robotics and game design, including freelance and startup efforts focused on product prototyping and user experience innovation. These early professional steps built on his academic work, such as the robotic sentry gun he developed as a senior project, which demonstrated autonomous targeting using computer vision and servomechanisms and influenced his subsequent commercial explorations in mechatronics. Rasmussen's notable entry into game design came in 2011 when he co-created BlindSide with Michael T. Astolfi, an audio-only designed for devices. Inspired by Rasmussen's own experience of temporary blindness following a high school chemistry accident involving volatile chemicals, the game simulates a protagonist awakening sightless in a monster-filled environment, emphasizing and through immersive audio cues like echoing footsteps, distant growls, and environmental sounds to detect threats and solve puzzles. This mechanics-first approach drew from classic text adventures like while innovating for accessibility, ensuring identical for sighted and visually impaired players using and device orientation. The development process for involved prototyping audio immersion techniques and integrating 3D sound libraries, with Rasmussen handling programming and Astolfi contributing narrative and audio design. To fund production costs such as , sound effect licensing, and studio time, the duo launched a campaign in late 2011, raising over $25,000 from backers to complete the project. Released in 2012, the game received critical recognition as a finalist at IndieCade 2012 among 500 submissions, highlighting its innovative narrative and sound design. It was also nominated for awards in sound and narrative at the 2012 Brazilian International Games Festival and entered into the 2013 .

MasterClass

Aaron Rasmussen co-founded MasterClass in 2015 alongside David Rogier, envisioning an online education platform that delivered high-production-value classes taught by world-renowned experts, including celebrities and industry leaders, to make premium learning accessible to a broad audience. The initial concept emphasized cinematic-quality video production, narrative-driven storytelling, and intuitive digital interfaces to engage users, drawing inspiration from Rasmussen's background in game design to create immersive, aesthetically compelling experiences. As and (CTO), Rasmussen played a pivotal role in shaping the platform's style, overseeing processes, and designing the to ensure seamless navigation and high-fidelity content delivery. His leadership extended to , where he focused on selecting instructors whose expertise could translate into motivational, practical lessons, and to technological innovations such as optimized streaming protocols that supported the platform's resource-intensive, Hollywood-style videos without compromising accessibility. MasterClass achieved key milestones shortly after launch, debuting in May 2015 with its inaugural courses featuring on acting, on , and on writing, which quickly sold out initial subscriptions and established the model's appeal. Early funding supported rapid expansion, including a $15 million Series A round in 2016 led by investors like NEA, followed by subsequent rounds that totaled over $460 million by 2021, enabling the addition of diverse instructors and scaling infrastructure. By the early , the platform had grown to more than 2 million subscribers, reflecting its transition from niche offering to mainstream edutainment staple with annual recurring revenue reaching $100 million in 2022. Under Rasmussen's influence until his departure in 2017, expanded into innovative formats, including interactive live sessions that allowed real-time engagement with instructors, building on the core video model to foster community and deeper learning. These developments solidified 's position as a pioneer in premium online education, prioritizing quality over quantity in content while leveraging celebrity draw to inspire lifelong curiosity.

Outlier.org

Outlier.org was founded by Aaron Rasmussen in as an online education platform dedicated to delivering affordable, accredited courses that enable students to earn transferable credits toward their degrees. The initiative partnered with the to ensure academic rigor and , allowing learners to receive credits from a top-50 global university while keeping costs low—initially $400 per three-credit course, or roughly $133 per credit, compared to traditional rates often exceeding $1,000 per course. This mission focused on reducing financial barriers to , targeting introductory subjects essential for degree completion and making quality instruction accessible to a broader audience. The platform's development emphasized high-quality in with renowned instructors from institutions like Harvard, Yale, and , ensuring content aligned with university standards while incorporating engaging pedagogical methods. Technological innovations included interactive simulations, adaptive assessments, and cinematic video lectures to foster without relying on live sessions, creating an immersive experience that prioritizes mastery over rote memorization. Launching with initial offerings in mathematics and foundational sciences—such as I and Introduction to —Outlier.org quickly expanded its catalog to cover core general requirements, leveraging Rasmussen's prior expertise in scalable online content production to streamline delivery. By 2025, Outlier.org had seen substantial enrollment growth, particularly through programs serving high schools across the , where students could earn college credits while completing their secondary education. Partnerships extended beyond the to include and collaborations with over 800 institutions for credit transfer, with acceptance rates exceeding 98 percent. The platform earned acclaim for advancing , boasting pass rates comparable to or surpassing national on-campus averages, and was acquired by Savvas Learning Company in 2024 to further amplify its impact on accessible learning.

Other ventures

Rasmussen co-founded an industrial company shortly after graduating from in 2005, specializing in advanced for applications such as automated assembly systems. This venture emphasized integration, combining , , and software to develop efficient robotic solutions for industrial processes. The company represented an extension of his early work in and was successfully sold, contributing to his reputation as a serial entrepreneur in the field. In 2007, Rasmussen co-founded Harcos Laboratories with Elijah Szasz, initially to commercialize virtual items from into real-world products, launching with Mana Energy Potion as its debut brand. The company pursued experimental technologies, including sensor-based systems like a hacked EEG device that monitors brain activity and administers electric shocks to counteract lapses in focus, demonstrating innovative applications of for productivity enhancement. Harcos also ventured into consumer goods with Zombie Blood, a gaming-inspired released in 2010 to energize users during extended activities like or . Rasmussen's 2005 invention of a while at served as a conceptual precursor to his later endeavors, featuring optical sensors for autonomous target detection and BB firing in an airsoft prototype. In June 2024, Rasmussen joined the Board of Trustees at the Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, leveraging his edtech background to shape amid reforms like the reevaluation of the Unit for more flexible learning models. His involvement supports initiatives to improve teaching efficacy and access to quality education. Beyond these roles, Rasmussen has participated in speaking engagements, including a February 2025 lecture on career paths and innovation at University's Woodbury School of Business and a featured talk at the Zeg 2025 storytelling festival. On his personal website, he showcases invention and marketing projects, such as adapting industrial robots—like attaching a sword to a arm—for interactive consumer applications inspired by gaming interfaces.

References

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