In a bold step that signals the future of higher education, online community college Campus has acquired Sizzle, an AI-powered learning platform founded by former Facebook head of AI Jerome Pesenti. Pesenti will now join Campus as Chief Technology Officer, bringing his team and advanced AI learning engine into a model that blends mentorship, technology and high-quality instruction. The deal is backed by notable investors including Sam Altman, Shaquille O’Neal, Joe Lonsdale and Figma’s Dylan Field, highlighting strong confidence in Campus and its mission.
At the heart of this transformation is Tade Oyerinde, a Nigerian-born entrepreneur and founder of Campus. Oyerinde grew up in Atlanta as the son of Nigerian immigrants. He was homeschooled before attending public high school and later studied aerospace engineering at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. Coming from a family with a strong academic background, he developed a passion for education and a commitment to expanding access for students from underserved communities.
In 2022, Oyerinde founded Campus, the first national online community college with a mission to deliver affordable, high-quality education without student debt. The institution offers accredited associate degrees in areas such as business administration and applied artificial intelligence. With tuition priced at 7200 dollars per year and largely covered by Pell Grants, 86 percent of Campus students pay nothing out of pocket. In addition, students receive free laptops and Wi-Fi to reduce financial barriers to learning.
Oyerinde’s vision has attracted more than 100 million dollars in funding, including 29 million dollars in Series A funding in 2023 and 46 million dollars in Series B funding in 2025. Support from investors such as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Discord Founder Jason Citron has positioned Campus to expand programs, recruit top educators and strengthen its learning technology.
Despite strong instructors and accessible tuition, a core challenge remained. Students often struggled once class was over. The acquisition of Sizzle directly addresses this issue. Sizzle’s technology personalizes learning by identifying gaps in understanding, breaking down difficult concepts and guiding students step-by-step through lessons any time of day. The platform uses multiple AI models to deliver the best explanations per subject and creates customized learning pathways for each student.
Even as technology becomes more central to the learning process, Oyerinde and Pesenti emphasize that educators are still essential. Campus combines AI with human success coaches who motivate, mentor and hold students accountable. Oyerinde explains that this approach is designed to solve a national problem. Only 27 percent of community college students in the United States graduate, and many drop out with debt rather than a degree. Campus wants to reverse this pattern by personalizing education and strengthening support around every learner.
For Oyerinde, the mission is personal. He believes education should open doors, not restrict opportunities. His goal is to democratize access to high-quality learning and ensure that students can gain practical skills that improve their lives and careers.
With the acquisition of Sizzle, Campus is redefining what modern college education looks like. Faster support, smarter learning, stronger accountability and zero debt are becoming the new standard. As Oyerinde puts it, the goal is simple. Help more students finish, not just start.
