On Feb. 4, 2026, Complexly, the company that produces Crash Course, announced it had relaunched as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit the previous month.

Over its nearly 15-year history, the Crash Course YouTube channel has garnered over 2 billion views, covering a diverse range of subjects from artificial intelligence to world history.

Teachers across the United States have adopted Crash Course as an educational resource in their classrooms, making it highly recognizable to those who attended high school in the past decade.

Complexly, which produces a host of other free educational shows, was founded and previously owned by brothers Hank and John Green, who are known for various other projects, including John Green’s streak of widely popular novels.

In the announcement uploaded to the brothers’ joint YouTube channel, Hank Green recounted an early email discussion about Crash Course, in which John Green wrote, “the ideas interest me ultimately, not the payoff.”

This sentiment would guide the brothers in their decision to transition Complexly into a nonprofit.

“It has been a business that has always sought to add far more value to the world than it captures,” Hank Green explained in the announcement.

In the service of this mission, the brothers decided that a crucial aspect of the business is that its content remain free and accessible, stressing the importance of trustworthy resources in the modern information ecosystem.

Complexly’s new status as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit means that donations to the organization are tax-deductible, allowing donors to reduce their taxable income by the amount they contribute.

According to the company’s website, relying on donations frees them from the influence of advertisers and instead allows content to focus purely on education.

As the name suggests, being a nonprofit also means the company’s net earnings don’t benefit shareholders, further incentivizing content to reflect the interests of viewers.

“Your viewing experience won’t change,” wrote John Green in an Instagram post on Feb. 4, “but we hope that now we’ll be able to bring you even more great stuff you can trust.”

Hank and John Green now act as advisors at the company, stepping down from their previous roles as sole owners while noting they will still be involved in future content.