[MR4D]

This makes no sense. They could do a simple transaction transferring it to a 401c3 entity and be done with it.

The idea of a public company, a public benefit company, a university, a nonprofit, and 800 million dollars changing hands in this complicated of a transaction seems incongruous.

[throwawaygh]

Harvard and MIT are selling the right to use their name-marks in a limited context for $800mm, which they will now invest in becoming leading institutions in AI teaching/tutoring. They also get to divest themselves of something that was (perceived as) cutting-edge and world-changing 20 years ago but is no longer particularly hot/novel.

Doing MOOCs was good business for Harvard/MIT like 10-15 years ago when designing and delivering MOOCs constituted "thought leadership". Now, MOOCs are ubiquitous and AI teachers are the hotness.

[MR4D]

FTA: "...2U will transfer $800 million to a nonprofit organization..."

While that org is led by Harvard and MIT, the institutions are not getting the money. Which begs the question - why didn't the edX organization just sell off the IP to 2U? would have been much cleaner.