A Cloud Guru
Unicorn exit Β· $2Bacquired by PluralsightAustin, US Β· 4 known investors
Acquired by Pluralsight June 2021 Β· terms undisclosed
A Cloud Guru is an online learning platform focused on cloud computing skills, offering certification courses, hands-on labs, practice exams, and live cloud sandboxes for AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and Linux. It serves individual engineers and enterprise teams building cloud fluency, and was acquired by and integrated into Pluralsight in 2021.
Also known as A Cloud Guru Ltd Β· ACG Β· Cloud+ (Pluralsight)
Founders & leadership
Investors Β· 4
Also in the syndicate Β· 1
Company profile
researched Aug 2026A Cloud Guru (ACG) was an online learning platform focused on cloud computing and related technologies, with most courses oriented toward preparing learners for certification exams from the three major cloud providers: Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform [6]. The platform combined video courses with hands-on labs, cloud sandbox environments, exams and quizzes, and structured learning paths that progressed learners from beginner to specialist across defined IT domains [3][7]. Content spanned cloud services plus adjacent technologies such as Linux, DevOps, Kubernetes, Terraform and containers [4][5].
The company was founded in 2015 and grew from a single cloud certification course into a broad content library and lab catalog [7]. In May 2018 it launched ACG for Business, a learning management and talent development product aimed at enterprises seeking a scalable path to building cloud-skilled workforces, supported by an Accelerator Program and Learning Paths [7]. Following acquisition by Pluralsight in July 2021, ACG content was placed alongside Pluralsight Skills' cloud library [3]. As of the Pluralsight-hosted ACG page, the combined cloud offering comprised 400+ courses and 1,800+ hands-on labs [1].
In March 2025 Pluralsight announced that ACG had been fully integrated into its platform and that the ACG plan had been replaced by Cloud+, which bundles former ACG certification-prep content, hands-on labs and sandboxes with Pluralsight's Core Tech package; existing Pluralsight ACG plan subscribers were transitioned to Pluralsight's Complete plan by the end of May 2025, with outdated ACG content retired [5]. An 'A Cloud Guru' author profile persists on Pluralsight, credited with 43 courses and an average course rating of 4.4 across 577 ratings, chiefly in IT Ops topics [4].
Founding story
Wikipedia states that in 2015 Ant Stanley and Ryan Kroonenburg established the company in London, United Kingdom, building the online training provider in four weeks from Ryan's bedroom, with Ryan's brother Sam Kroonenburg joining soon after; Ant Stanley left in July 2016, leaving Melbourne brothers Sam and Ryan to run the business [6]. Summit Partners' announcement describes the company as founded in 2015 by brothers Sam and Ryan Kroonenburg, starting from a single cloud certification course [7]. Sam Kroonenburg served as co-founder and CEO and Ryan Kroonenburg as co-founder [3][7]; Ryan Kroonenburg is also identified as Founder of A Cloud Guru in Pluralsight event materials [2].
Business model
Subscription-based SaaS access to an online cloud-learning platform, sold both to individual learners and to organizations; ACG for Business provided enterprise learning management, talent development, onboarding accelerators and learning paths for teams [7]. Post-acquisition, the offering is sold through Pluralsight plans (Cloud+, Complete and related packages) to individuals, enterprises, small business, public sector and nonprofits [0][5].
Recurring subscription memberships for individuals and organizational/enterprise plans [5][7].
Traction
More than 850,000 users across 186 countries as of April 2019 [7]. By the July 2021 acquisition announcement, ACG reported enabling 2.5 million learners and over 4,500 organizations [3]. Pluralsight's ACG page cites more than 2.2 million engineers and 4,000+ businesses served [1]. The Pluralsight-hosted ACG author profile lists 43 courses with an average rating of 4.4 from 577 ratings [4].
Latest developments
In March 2025 Pluralsight published that A Cloud Guru is now fully part of the Pluralsight platform and that Cloud+ is the successor to the ACG plan, combining ACG certification prep, labs and sandboxes with Pluralsight's Core Tech package; existing Pluralsight ACG plan subscribers were being upgraded to the Complete plan by the end of May 2025 while dated ACG content was retired [5]. ACG-branded courses continue to be published on Pluralsight, with titles dated through October 2025 [4].
βΈFull profile β market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
Described in Pluralsight's acquisition release as a leading cloud skills development platform and, in Summit Partners' release, as a leader in online cloud computing training and talent development [3][7]. Its 2019 acquisition of Linux Academy was characterized by the company as creating the world's largest cloud computing training library, and reported as the acquisition of its largest competitor [6]. Pluralsight positioned the combination as delivering an all-in-one solution for cloud skill development at enterprise scale [3].
Emphasis on learning by doing: certification-focused course design combined with hands-on labs, custom cloud sandboxes, quizzes and exams across all three major cloud providers, rather than video-only instruction [1][3][7]. Multicloud breadth was cited by customers as a differentiator [1].
Technology
Video courses authored by in-house cloud experts, paired with hands-on labs, a cloud sandbox service allowing practice in live provider environments, practice exams, quizzes, skill assessments and curated learning paths across AWS, Azure and Google Cloud [1][3][5][7]. Within Pluralsight the surrounding platform adds Skill IQ assessments, advanced analytics, integrations and an AI assistant called Iris AI [0].
Go-to-market
Direct self-serve individual subscriptions plus an enterprise sales motion (ACG for Business) targeting organizations executing cloud transformation, supported by content marketing such as blogs, webinars, reports (for example State of the Cloud and Cloud Dictionary of Pain) and community programs [1][2][7]. After the merger, joint Pluralsight+ACG marketing events and consolidated plan packaging were used to migrate customers [2][5].
Individual technologists and engineers pursuing cloud certifications and careers, and enterprises undertaking cloud migration and workforce upskilling [1][3][7]. Named business users of ACG for Business included Dow Jones, Capital One DevExchange and Qualcomm [7]; Pluralsight's ACG page cites customers including Thomson Reuters and Accenture [1].
Geography
Founded in London, United Kingdom, with founders from Melbourne, Australia; Wikipedia categorizes the company as Melbourne-based and Australian-established [6]. Summit Partners' 2019 announcement was datelined Austin, Texas, and press coverage referred to ACG as an Austin IT company [6][7]. Users spanned 186 countries as of 2019 [7]. Pluralsight, the acquirer, is headquartered in Silicon Slopes, Utah [3].
History
Launched in May 2015 [6]. ACG raised $7 million in its first funding round in July 2017 and a $33 million growth equity round in April 2019 led by Summit Partners with AirTree Ventures and existing investor Elephant participating [6][7]. In May 2018 the company launched ACG for Business [7]. On December 16, 2019 it announced the acquisition of Linux Academy, a Fort Worth-based firm, asserting the deal would create 'the largest cloud computing training library in the world' [6]. In 2021 Vista Equity Partners acquired Pluralsight (April 2021) and then A Cloud Guru, combining the two; Wikipedia dates the ACG transaction to June 2, 2021 at a valuation of more than $2 billion, while Pluralsight's press release states the definitive agreement was announced in June 2021 and the acquisition closed on July 8, 2021 [3][6]. By March 2025 the ACG plan had been rebranded and absorbed as Pluralsight's Cloud+ plan [5].
Risks & controversies
Sources note the ACG brand and standalone plan have been discontinued in favor of Pluralsight's Cloud+ and Complete plans, with legacy ACG content being retired as part of the migration [5]. No other risks or controversies are described in the available sources.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources β announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed β not independently audited.
Founder mafia
3 people who came through A Cloud Guru went on to found or lead other companies.
Timeline Β· 9
launches, deals, and filingsPluralsight announced ACG is fully integrated into its platform; the Cloud+ plan succeeds the ACG plan, and existing ACG plan subscribers were being transitioned to Pluralsight's Complete plan by end of May 2025.
Pluralsight announced the close of its acquisition of ACG, having entered a definitive agreement in June 2021. William Blair & Company advised Pluralsight and Vista (Kirkland & Ellis as counsel); J.P. Morgan Securities advised A Cloud Guru (Latham & Watkins as counsel).
Wikipedia reports A Cloud Guru was acquired by Vista Equity Partners on June 2, 2021 and combined with Pluralsight in a deal valuing the company at more than $2 billion; Vista had acquired Pluralsight in April 2021.
$2B source β
Acquisition of Fort Worth-based Linux Academy, described by the company as creating the largest cloud computing training library in the world and reported as the purchase of its largest competitor.
Round included AirTree Ventures and existing investor Elephant; proceeds earmarked for global hiring, content library expansion and enterprise features. Tom Jennings of Summit Partners joined the board.
$33M source β
Learning management and talent development platform for enterprises building cloud-skilled workforces, including an Accelerator Program and Learning Paths.
$7M source β
Ant Stanley left A Cloud Guru, leaving brothers Sam and Ryan Kroonenburg to run the business.
Online cloud-computing training platform launched, built in four weeks from Ryan Kroonenburg's bedroom in London.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
In the news
βΈResearch sources Β· 8
primary sources listed
- A Cloud Gurupluralsight.com Β· web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does A Cloud Guru do?
- A Cloud Guru was a cloud-computing certification training platform, acquired by Pluralsight in 2021 and now its Cloud+ plan.
- Who founded A Cloud Guru?
- A Cloud Guru was founded by Sam Kroonenburg.
- Who are A Cloud Guru's investors?
- A Cloud Guru's investors include AirTree Ventures, Bain Capital Tech Opportunities, Summit Partners.
- Who acquired A Cloud Guru?
- A Cloud Guru was acquired by Pluralsight.
- Where is A Cloud Guru headquartered?
- A Cloud Guru is headquartered in Austin, US.