Hank and John Green, the vloggers behind the popular educational YouTube series 'Crash Course,' have announced that their production company Complexly is transitioning to a nonprofit organisation. The move aims to ensure their fact-based content remains free from advertiser influence and accessible to all viewers, amid concerns over misinformation and AI-generated 'brain rot' content.
Complexly, which has amassed billions of views across web series covering subjects from animal biology to Latin American literature, will now operate as a public good. Hank Green stated, 'Part of what Complexly’s trying to do is create good information on the internet. Let’s actually just say that this is our goal. Like, our goal isn’t to build a big company and sell it someday.'
The nonprofit status has been under consideration for several years, according to CEO Julie Walsh Smith. The studio already receives philanthropic funding, including $4.8 million last year, with supporters such as YouTube, PBS, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. About one-third of revenue comes from YouTube ad sharing, another third from Patreon subscriptions, and the rest from merchandise like silver 'Crash Course' coins.
Hank and John will give up any equity in Complexly as part of the transition. John will become 'founder emeritus,' while Hank will join the board of directors and continue hosting shows. Smith said the founders are moving 'from leaders of the organisation to cheerleaders.' The company plans to invest $8.5 million in a new educational series, details of which remain undisclosed.
John Green assured viewers that the viewing experience will not change significantly, and that the nonprofit model may enable new shows that were previously unviable from a business perspective. The transition reflects a broader effort to compete with attention-grabbing content while maintaining trust and educational value.
