Vidcode
AcquiredYC S16San Francisco, US · 5 employees · 6 known investors
An online coding platform offering self-paced lessons and project-based courses for middle and high school students to learn web development and programming through hands-on creative applications like video filters and augmented reality.
Also known as Vidcode
Founders & leadership· Y Combinator alumni (S16)
Investors · 6
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Vidcode is a learn-to-code platform serving K-12 schools and libraries with standards-aligned creative coding courses, aimed at institutions launching or expanding computer science programs. Its catalog includes more than three hundred self-guided coding tutorials organized into course tracks covering JavaScript, web development and game design, through which tweens and teens build projects such as video filters, simulations, memes, data visualizations and augmented reality experiences while learning programming fundamentals.
The curriculum is cross-disciplinary and project-based, letting students create open-ended work using their own media so that assignments can connect to any subject area. The platform is designed for parents, teachers and students who are new to coding. Founded by female developers and artists, the company was built with girls in mind and gives particular attention to increasing participation among young women and underrepresented minorities, with a stated goal of teaching 10 million girls to code.
Founding story
Vidcode was founded by Alexandra Diracles, Melissa Halfon and Leandra Tejedor. Each founder came to computer science through a non-traditional pathway — fine art, design, finance and math — and the company was created to build an online coding experience that appeals as strongly to teenage girls as to teenage boys, which shaped its cross-disciplinary, project-based curriculum.
Business model
Vidcode sells access to its online creative coding curriculum to institutions, principally K-12 schools and libraries, and is also used by parents, teachers and students; the site directs schools, parents and libraries to request a demo.
Traction
The platform reports serving over 1 million students globally and describes an award-winning suite of products. It has been featured as a partner of Girl Scouts of the USA.
Latest developments
In January 2023, Learning.com announced it had acquired Codesters, which had acquired Vidcode in 2021, making Vidcode's JavaScript, web development and game design courses part of Learning.com's K-12 computer science and digital literacy product line.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
Vidcode operates in the K-12 computer science and digital skills curriculum market, where Learning.com reports that 42 states have adopted computer science education standards, up from seven in 2017, and 27 states require high schools to offer computer science. Following the Codesters and Learning.com transactions, Vidcode's JavaScript-focused products complement Codesters' Python curriculum within Learning.com's K-12 portfolio.
The curriculum is research-backed, standards-aligned and cross-disciplinary, using open-ended projects built from user-generated media so coding assignments can be tied to any subject area, and it was designed from the outset to appeal to teenage girls as well as boys.
Technology
A web-based coding platform with self-guided tutorials and course tracks that teach programming fundamentals, JavaScript, web development and game design through projects using user-generated media, including video filters, simulations, memes, data visualizations and augmented reality.
Go-to-market
Vidcode markets its courses to institutions through its website, including course listings and a demo-request path for schools, parents and libraries, and has been promoted through a partnership with Girl Scouts of the USA.
K-12 schools and libraries building or expanding computer science programs, plus teachers, parents and students who are new to coding; the courses are aimed at tweens and teens, with particular emphasis on girls and underrepresented minorities.
Geography
Headquartered in San Francisco, with students served globally and a K-12 school and library customer base concentrated in the United States.
History
The company participated in Y Combinator's Summer 2016 batch as a San Francisco-based education company with a team of five. It was acquired by Codesters in 2021. In January 2023, Learning.com announced its acquisition of Codesters at the Future of Education Technology Conference, and Vidcode's product suite — online courses in JavaScript, web development and game design — became part of Learning.com's offerings.
Compiled by commissioned research from 3 cited public sources — 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 — not independently audited.
Competitors · 1
by search overlap
Companies competing with Vidcode for the same Google search keywords, organic and paid, via search-intersection analysis.
Non-dilutive funding · 2 SBIR/STTR awards
Federal grants — no equity taken| Agency | Phase | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Education | Phase II | 2019 | $900K |
| Department of Education | Phase I | 2018 | $185K |
Source: SBIR.gov award data (U.S. Small Business Administration). SBIR/STTR awards are competitive federal R&D grants and contracts — non-dilutive capital alongside any venture rounds above.
Timeline · 3
launches, deals, and filingsLearning.com announced at the Future of Education Technology Conference that it had acquired Codesters; Vidcode, previously acquired by Codesters, also became part of Learning.com's product offerings.
Vidcode, founded by Alexandra Diracles, Melissa Halfon and Leandra Tejedor, was acquired by Codesters in 2021.
Vidcode was part of Y Combinator's Summer 2016 batch, with a team size of five and a location in San Francisco.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
In the news
▸Research sources · 3
primary sources listed
- Vidcode | Girl Scoutsgirlscouts.org · web
3 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Vidcode do?
- Vidcode is a K-12 creative coding platform teaching teens JavaScript and web development through media-based projects.
- Who founded Vidcode?
- Vidcode was founded by Alexandra Diracles, Melissa Halfon, Leandra T..
- Who are Vidcode's investors?
- Vidcode's investors include NYU Innovation Venture Fund, Y Combinator, Cherry Ventures, Rethink Capital Partners, Rethink Education, ZhenFund.
- Where is Vidcode headquartered?
- Vidcode is headquartered in San Francisco, US.