The entrepreneurial duo behind Anchor, the podcasting platform acquired by Spotify, is back with a new venture that’s poised to disrupt the online learning space.
Nir Zicherman and Michael Mignano, co-founders of Anchor, have unveiled Oboe, an innovative AI-powered platform that generates comprehensive online courses from a single prompt. The startup, which raised $4 million in a seed round, attracted notable investors including Eniac Ventures, Nikita Bier, Scott Belsky, and Tim Ferriss, signaling strong confidence in its potential.
Oboe’s premise is elegantly simple: users input a topic, and the platform delivers a fully fleshed-out, 30-minute course in multiple formats—long-form articles, university-style lectures, and podcasts featuring two AI hosts reminiscent of Google’s NotebookLM.
This multi-agent AI architecture, built from scratch, orchestrates content creation, verification, and personalization in parallel, ensuring high-quality output tailored to the user’s interests. While it may not equip you to master rocket science, Oboe is well-positioned to replace the vast majority of hastily assembled online courses that proliferated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The platform’s versatility shines through its nine launch formats, ranging from interactive games to audio courses, catering to diverse learning preferences. Users can explore topics across science, history, language learning, pop culture, and more, with content generated quickly and affordably. Oboe’s recommendation engine further enhances the experience, encouraging deeper dives into subjects based on user interest.
At launch, the service offers free access to consume courses and create up to five courses monthly, with premium tiers—Oboe Plus ($15/month for 30 courses) and Oboe Pro ($40/month for 100 courses) — unlocking additional benefits. Native iOS and Android apps are in development, expanding its reach beyond the current web platform.
Backed by a lean team of five full-time members, including Zicherman, with Mignano serving as a board member and partner at Lightspeed, Oboe reflects the founders’ experience scaling Spotify’s audiobook business. The $4 million seed funding, led by Eniac Ventures with participation from a roster of high-profile angels, underscores the startup’s early momentum. Oboe is carving a niche in the edtech landscape, offering a streamlined alternative to traditional course creation tools.
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While its scope may not extend to advanced technical fields, Oboe’s ability to produce polished, multi-format content with minimal effort makes it a game-changer for creators and learners alike. As the platform evolves, it could redefine how we approach online education, proving that a single prompt can unlock a wealth of knowledge in the digital age.
