What Santander Open Academy does

Santander Open Academy is Banco Santander's flagship non-profit educational initiative, operating a global web-based e-learning platform that delivers over 1,000 free courses, content items, and scholarships to individuals worldwide. Originally founded in 1994 as Becas Santander, the platform was rebranded and restructured in 2024 to add direct-access, self-paced courses with 24/7 availability and unlimited enrollment alongside its existing application-based, limited-place scholarship programmes. The platform serves students, job seekers, working professionals, and lifelong learners across Europe, the Americas, and any internet-connected region, with content delivered in Spanish, Portuguese, and English and no requirement to be a Banco Santander customer.

The product surface is organized into five course categories — Languages, Professional Skills (leadership, marketing, business strategy, communication), Data/AI/Technology (Python, Data Science, AI), Digital Tools and Productivity (ChatGPT, Copilot, Excel, Power BI), and Wellbeing/Sustainability — plus a digital scholarship and financial-aid layer. The technology stack is a streaming video web platform accessible via browser and mobile, with AI-powered course recommendations, automated progress tracking, self-assessment requiring a 70% passing threshold for certification, and integrations with Clevry (psychometric testing), Coursera (training content), and LinkedIn (certificate sharing). Course catalog depth is anchored by named partnerships with Google (Gemini AI) and the University of Chicago (Digital Marketing), and selection for limited-place programmes uses Clevry logical/verbal reasoning assessments.

The business model is fully subsidized: all courses and scholarships are 100% free to participants, with no premium tiers, hidden costs, or customer-status gating. The platform operates as a corporate social responsibility and ESG investment vehicle within Banco Santander, with cumulative disclosed funding of €2.5 billion over 30 years supporting 8.3 million beneficiaries. Go-to-market is product-led and community-led: users self-register with an email address at app.santanderopenacademy.com, progress at their own pace, and are encouraged to share completion certificates on LinkedIn for organic awareness. The platform currently lists course availability through 31 December 2026 and shows no external investors, independent funding, or revenue-generating monetization mechanism.

Name

Santander Open Academy

Legal name

Santander Open Academy

Website

https://santanderopenacademy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Santander Open Academy is Banco Santander's non-profit global e-learning platform offering over 1,000 free courses, content, and scholarships in Spanish, Portuguese, and English. It serves students, job seekers, and professionals worldwide via self-paced online courses and employer/internship integrations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online/Hybrid Lifelong Learning Platforms & Open Enrollment Programs (EDAAAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Subject-Specific Short Courses & Academies (e.g., STEM, Business, Arts) (EDAIAIAC), University-Led Summer/Winter Schools (Credit/Non-Credit) (EDAIAIAA)

Keywords

• Online learning platform
• Professional development courses
• Scholarship programs
• Digital skills training
• Educational content library

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Non-profit Educational Initiative (Funded): Santander Open Academy is Banco Santander's major non-profit initiative. All courses, content, and scholarships are fully funded by Banco Santander at no cost to participants. No revenue is generated from the platform; it operates as a CSR/ESG investment in education and employability. The initiative is part of Banco Santander's 30-year commitment to education, employability, and entrepreneurship programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Santander Open Academy is a global e-learning platform offering free online courses, content, and scholarships to help people develop professional skills and improve employability. The platform provides over 1,000 courses across categories including languages, professional skills, data/AI/technology, digital tools, and wellbeing/sustainability, accessible globally without requiring Santander bank customer status. Courses are available in self-paced direct-access format with immediate enrollment or as application-based limited-place programmes with selection processes.

Product overview

Santander Open Academy is Banco Santander's major non-profit global e-learning and scholarship platform that has evolved from Becas Santander. The platform offers free online courses, content, and scholarships accessible to both bank customers and the general public. The portfolio consists of two primary course types: Direct Access Courses (self-paced, immediate enrollment, unlimited availability) and Courses with Limited Places (application-based with selection process). Course categories span Languages, Professional Skills (strategy, marketing, leadership, communication), Data/AI/Technology (Python, Data Science, AI), Digital Tools (ChatGPT, Copilot, Excel, Power BI), and Wellbeing/Sustainability. The platform issues completion certificates upon course completion and integrates with third-party services including Clevry for psychometric assessments, Coursera for training content, and LinkedIn for professional sharing. Over 2,500 million euros have been invested over 30 years supporting education and employability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Santander Open Academy Platform A global e-learning and scholarship platform offering free online courses, content, and scholarships to boost employability and lifelong learning worldwide, accessible to both Santander customers and non-customers.
• Direct Access Courses Self-paced online courses available 24/7 with immediate enrollment and unlimited places. Users register, validate email, and start learning immediately without waiting or application requirements.
• Courses with Limited Places Scholarship and programme applications requiring a selection process. Candidates apply, may complete skills tests (Clevry platform), and receive placement decisions based on eligibility criteria. Certificates issued by academic partners.
• Languages Courses Free language courses including English and other languages, with online and in-person options and summer programs in the USA for college students.
• Professional Skills Courses Courses in strategy, marketing, business, leadership, and communication, focusing on the most in-demand skills in the job market including digital marketing, applied AI, e-commerce, and SEO.
• Data, AI and Technology Courses Technology courses covering Python, Data Science, and Artificial Intelligence, including training on Gemini, responsible prompting, and ethical AI use.
• Digital Tools and Productivity Courses Courses on ChatGPT, Copilot, Excel, Power BI, and AI productivity tools, including access to platforms like Coursera for training.
• Wellbeing and Sustainability Courses Courses covering mindfulness, stress management, nutrition, sustainability, ESG, and responsible leadership for personal and professional wellbeing.
• Completion Certificates Certificates issued upon course completion, validating successful training completion. Certificates include issuer brand, course title, training hours, and user name to demonstrate commitment to continuous learning.
• Scholarships and Financial Aid Study scholarships and programmes funded by Banco Santander, part of 30 years of support to education, employability and entrepreneurship totaling over 2.5 billion euros invested.
• Skills Tests (Psychometric Assessments) Online psychometric assessments (via Clevry platform) measuring competencies such as logical and verbal reasoning, used in selection processes for scholarships and limited-place programmes.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Google (Gemini AI)coreTechnology or IntegrationCollaboration with Google for AI education content. Santander Course 'Master AI with Gemini' guides users through the world of Artificial Intelligence, showing how AI is part of daily lives. Google Gemini is used as a teaching tool for responsible AI prompting and usage.
• The University of ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner providing course content. The University of Chicago delivers Digital Marketing course on the platform, bringing academic rigor to professional development offerings.
• CourserasupportingTechnology or IntegrationCoursera is mentioned as a leading training platform accessible through Santander Open Academy. Users can access Coursera courses as part of their learning journey.
• UniversiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSantander Open Academy and Universia are part of the same ecosystem. Universia is a university network providing cross-referral for job and internship opportunities. Students can explore related employment offers through the Universia portal.
• ClevrysupportingTechnology or IntegrationOnline psychometric testing platform used for scholarship and programme selection. Clevry delivers skills tests measuring logical and verbal reasoning to assess candidate fit with programme objectives.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Skillshare: Skillshare is an online learning community with courses on creative, business, and technology topics. It is a direct peer as a subscription-based online learning platform serving self-directed adult learners seeking professional development — overlapping with Santander Open Academy's professional skills and digital tools categories.
• edX: edX is a major MOOC platform founded by Harvard and MIT offering university-level courses and professional certificates. It is a direct peer as it provides free course auditing, professional education, and AI/digital skills training similar to what Santander Open Academy delivers, with comparable B2C and B2B upskilling use cases.
• FutureLearn: FutureLearn is a UK-based online social learning platform offering free and paid courses from universities and organizations. It is a direct peer as it similarly combines free open-enrollment courses with limited-place programs, professional certificates, and partnerships with academic institutions — a comparable model to Santander Open Academy's two-tier offering.
• Coursera: Coursera is a leading global MOOC platform offering online courses, certificates, and degrees from universities and companies. It is directly comparable to Santander Open Academy as both deliver free and paid online courses across professional skills, technology, and business — Coursera is even mentioned as a content-access partner in the Santander Open Academy ecosystem.
• Khan Academy: Khan Academy is a non-profit educational platform offering free courses across subjects to a global audience. It is a direct peer as it shares the same free, non-profit, non-degree-granting model as Santander Open Academy and similar content categories (technology, professional skills, personal development).
• Udemy: Udemy is a global online learning marketplace with 200,000+ courses across technology, business, and personal development. It is a direct peer because it offers self-paced, immediate-access courses with certificates to the same general-public learner that Santander Open Academy targets, including languages, AI, and professional skills.
• OpenLearn (The Open University): OpenLearn is The Open University's free lifelong learning platform offering open-access courses with certificates. It is a direct peer as it shares the non-profit, free, open-enrollment model targeting adult learners seeking professional skills and personal development — a directly comparable platform structure.
• Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Learn is Microsoft's free training platform for technical and professional skills, including AI and productivity tools. It is a direct peer given its free, self-paced learning model with completion certificates, focus on technology upskilling, and corporate-backed non-profit rationale — similar to Santander Open Academy's partnerships with Coursera and Google.
• LinkedIn Learning: LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com) is a subscription-based professional development platform integrated with LinkedIn's professional network. It is a direct peer given its focus on professional skills, technology, and business courses with completion certificates — and shares the LinkedIn sharing/promotion model that Santander Open Academy leverages.
• Google Career Certificates / Grow with Google: Google's free career-focused training programs (Google Career Certificates, Google AI Essentials) offer employer-recognized credentials in tech and business. It is a direct peer given the platform's strategic collaboration with Google on 'Master AI with Gemini' and both target upskilling adults for employability in in-demand digital fields.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/santander-open-academy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Santander Open Academy