99U
99U is a small private educational platform founded in 2008 in New York that delivers action-oriented education for creative professionals. It is historically associated with Behance (now Adobe-owned) and serves independent designers, illustrators, and graphic artists.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What 99U does
99U is an educational platform founded in 2008 and headquartered in New York that delivers action-oriented education for creative professionals — the practical "99%" of creative careers not addressed by formal schooling. The firm operates as a small private team (1–10 employees) and is historically associated with Behance, the Adobe-owned creative portfolio platform, positioning 99U within the broader Adobe creative ecosystem rather than as a standalone product company.
The platform's core function is content and educational programming targeted at independent designers, illustrators, graphic artists, and other creative professionals, with a secondary audience of clients and employers seeking to hire creative talent. Underlying content distribution rides on the Behance platform's web and mobile properties (iOS, Android), Adobe Portfolio integration, and a multilingual footprint spanning more than 10 languages. While the input data does not describe proprietary 99U technology or platform architecture, it shows the firm leveraging Adobe's portfolio hosting, job-matching features, and creator engagement tools as a substrate for its educational mission.
The business model is not explicitly disclosed for 99U as a standalone entity; no pricing tiers, revenue streams, or named customers are attributed to 99U specifically. Contextual signals from the parent ecosystem suggest freemium-style content access with potential monetization through subscriptions (Behance Pro, Recruiter Pro) and transaction fees on freelance job postings, though these flows belong to Adobe/Behance rather than to 99U. No funding rounds, M&A activity, leadership changes, or restructuring events are recorded for 99U in the input data, and corporate ownership is described in terms of the parent Adobe relationship without a specific parent-of-record entity for 99U.
99U firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 99U
- Legal name
- Adobe, Inc.
- Website
- https://99u.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- 99U is a small private educational platform founded in 2008 in New York that delivers action-oriented education for creative professionals. It is historically associated with Behance (now Adobe-owned) and serves independent designers, illustrators, and graphic artists.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
99U industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Creative Professional Education
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (611710), Computer Training (61142)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Online Learning Content & Course Publishing Platforms (BPAMAJAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Workshops, Webinars & Live Masterclasses (MPACALAD), Core Digital Curriculum & Courseware (Full Programs & Units) (EDAFACAA), Learning Content Bundling & Subscription Passes (All-Access Libraries) (MPACALAL)
Keywords
Where 99U is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
99U business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Behance Pro Subscriptions: Premium subscription service offering enhanced portfolio tools, analytics, and visibility features for professional creatives.
- Recruiter Pro Subscriptions: Premium hiring tool subscription for companies looking to recruit creative talent through the platform.
- Freelance Job Postings: Fees charged to clients for posting structured job opportunities for freelance creative work.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free basic account with core portfolio features |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
99U product offering
Product offeringCore offering
99U is an educational platform, founded in 2008 in New York, that delivers action-oriented education for creative professionals — content and programming covering the practical career, business, and creative skills not taught in traditional schools. The platform operates in association with Behance, Adobe's creative portfolio platform, and supports an annual conference program for creative professionals along with online educational resources and a portfolio-based community for discovery, hiring, and career development.
Product overview
Behance is an Adobe-owned creative portfolio platform that provides a unified ecosystem for creative professionals to build and showcase their portfolios, discover other artists, and connect with job opportunities. The platform centers on the core Behance product with premium subscription tiers (Behance Pro and Recruiter Pro), an integrated job board for freelance and full-time hiring, and mobile applications for iOS and Android. The platform also offers tools for scheduling video calls, tracking milestones, and promoting projects.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Behance Adobe-owned creative portfolio platform that enables designers, illustrators, and artists to showcase their work, discover other creatives, and connect with potential clients and employers.
- Behance Pro Premium subscription tier offering enhanced portfolio features, advanced analytics, and additional tools for professional creatives seeking portfolio visibility and career growth.
- Recruiter Pro Premium subscription service for companies and recruiters to find, review portfolios of, and hire qualified creative talent through the Behance platform.
- Behance Mobile App Native iOS and Android mobile applications that allow creatives to access and manage their portfolios on the go, distributed via the App Store and Google Play.
Companies that use 99U
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
99U technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
99U partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- AdobecoreBehance is owned and operated by Adobe, Inc. The platform integrates deeply with Adobe's creative ecosystem including Adobe Portfolio, Adobe Creative Cloud, and Adobe's hiring tools. Adobe provides the parent company's distribution advantage and brand credibility.
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights3 records
99U competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MasterClass: Premium video-based education platform featuring creator-led courses from world-class practitioners; competes with 99U's positioning as high-quality, professional-grade creative education delivered digitally.
- CreativeLive: Online learning platform focused on creative education (photography, design, business); comparable to 99U as a creator-skills education destination with a subscription model and workshop-based content.
- DeviantArt: Long-standing online community and portfolio platform for artists and creative professionals with mature community features, print-on-demand, and subscription services — directly comparable two-sided community model for creative portfolios.
- Dribbble: Leading design-focused portfolio and job-matching platform for creative professionals; competes directly with Behance for designers, illustrators, and the recruiter/hiring side of the marketplace with Pro subscriptions and a structured jobs board.
- ArtStation: Portfolio and marketplace platform specialized for digital artists, concept artists, and 3D/2D illustrators. Overlaps Behance's illustration and concept-art communities with stronger positioning in the entertainment/game art vertical.
- Carbonmade: Portfolio-building service for creatives offering website creation and portfolio hosting — overlaps Behance's core portfolio hosting value proposition for designers and creative professionals.
- Skillshare: Subscription-based online learning community offering creator-led courses in creative fields (design, illustration, etc.). Directly comparable to 99U's mission of providing 'action-oriented education' for creative professionals outside traditional schooling.
Others
- Adobe Portfolio: Sister product within Adobe's ecosystem offering portfolio hosting for Creative Cloud subscribers; functions as a complementary (and partially substitutable) offering alongside Behance for the same Adobe user base.
Broad incumbents
- Instagram: Massive consumer social platform widely used by creative professionals as a free portfolio and discovery surface; competes for the same creators' attention and serves as the dominant free alternative to dedicated portfolio platforms like Behance.
- LinkedIn: Broader professional network increasingly used by creative professionals for portfolios, networking, and job hunting; competes with Behance for both creator presence and recruiter/hiring dollars at much larger scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
99U social profiles
Digital presence99U financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
99U leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
99U funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
99U M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about 99U
What does 99U do?
99U is an educational platform, founded in 2008 in New York, that delivers action-oriented education for creative professionals — content and programming covering the practical career, business, and creative skills not taught in traditional schools. The platform operates in association with Behance, Adobe's creative portfolio platform, and supports an annual conference program for creative professionals along with online educational resources and a portfolio-based community for discovery, hiring, and career development.
Is 99U a public or private company?
99U is a public company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was 99U founded?
99U was founded in 2008. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is 99U based?
99U is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does 99U make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Behance Pro Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are recruiter Pro Subscriptions and freelance Job Postings.
Who are 99U's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MasterClass, CreativeLive, DeviantArt, Dribbble, ArtStation, Carbonmade and Skillshare. Adobe Portfolio is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Instagram and LinkedIn.
Does 99U have an API?
No public API is recorded for 99U.
What industry is 99U in?
99U's product category is Creative Professional Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAJAL, Online Learning Content & Course Publishing Platforms, with a secondary code of MPACALAD, Workshops, Webinars & Live Masterclasses. Its NAICS code is 61171 and its SIC code is 8200.