Platzi wants to skip the diploma and teach you usable tech skills

A couple of things about online learning service Platzi immediately set it apart from the other companies in Y Combinator’s latest batch. First, it is from Latin America — Colombia to be precise. Second, it is profitable. That’s right, it’s already making money. Online learning is hardly a new concept, but two-year-old Platzi is taking a different approach that’s interesting for a couple of reasons. Rather than broadening the availability of the traditional education experience using the Internet, like most MOOC (massive open online course) services, it’s focused on developing tangible skills. It does lean on tradition, however, by replicating the classroom experience with live video classes. They also include a stream of notes from students, which are later gathered together to provide an overview of each session. Classes typically get 1,000-3,000 attendees, but those who miss out can replay the video, which shows the class notes being taken in real time.