Ryan Kroonenburg Official
In 2015, Ryan and his brother, Sam Kroonenburg, decided to solve this problem. With a whiteboard, a microphone, and an infectious passion for cloud architecture, they recorded their first AWS certification course in Ryan’s living room. The "Australian accent" and energetic delivery were initially a gamble, but it paid off.
Ryan didn't just explain what a command did; he explained why you would use it in a production environment. He brought real-world war stories to the screen. Students felt like they were sitting next to a senior engineer guiding them through a crisis, rather than a professor lecturing from an ivory tower.
Key differentiators that Ryan brought to ACG:
In the rapidly evolving landscape of cloud computing, where Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) release hundreds of new features every year, traditional education has struggled to keep pace. For most of the last decade, if you wanted to become a cloud architect, you had two options: read dense, thousand-page whitepapers or pay thousands of dollars for boot camps.
Then came Ryan Kroonenburg.
As the co-founder and former CEO of A Cloud Guru (ACG), Ryan Kroonenburg didn't just build a training platform; he redefined how a generation of IT professionals learns. From a modest operation in a Melbourne bedroom to a $2 billion acquisition by Pluralsight, Ryan’s story is one of technical foresight, creative storytelling, and relentless execution.
This article dives deep into who Ryan Kroonenburg is, the origin of A Cloud Guru, his teaching philosophy, and his lasting impact on the multi-billion dollar cloud training industry.
The cloud computing industry owes a debt to Ryan Kroonenburg. He didn't invent cloud training, but he perfected it for the modern learner. He showed that the best teachers aren't necessarily academics, but passionate practitioners who can translate complexity into clarity.
Whether you are studying for your first AWS Cloud Practitioner exam or aiming for the CCIE, if you want to know how to learn cloud computing the right way, just search for Ryan Kroonenburg.
His voice, his whiteboard, and his "Hello Cloud Gurus" will be there to guide you.
Are you looking for Ryan Kroonenburg’s latest courses? Check the Pluralsight platform (home of A Cloud Guru) or his specific instructor page to see his latest content on Generative AI and Advanced AWS Architecture.
Ryan Kroonenburg is a tech entrepreneur and cloud education pioneer best known as the co-founder of A Cloud Guru
(ACG), a leading online learning platform for cloud computing. Career and A Cloud Guru Foundation
: In 2015, Ryan and his brother Sam Kroonenburg founded A Cloud Guru with the mission to "teach the world to cloud". The idea was born out of Ryan's own experience struggling to find affordable and effective training while preparing for Amazon Web Services (AWS) certifications. : The platform quickly became famous for its AWS certification courses
, many of which Ryan taught personally. Under his leadership, the company acquired Linux Academy
: In 2021, A Cloud Guru was acquired by the US software company Pluralsight for approximately $2 billion. Current Ventures and Recognition
Ryan Kroonenburg is best known as the co-founder of A Cloud Guru, a leading cloud computing training platform that sold for over $2 billion in 2021. His "long story" is a classic tale of resilience, pivoting from a career collapse to creating a tech unicorn after a major rejection from Amazon. From Law to Global Collapse ryan kroonenburg
Before tech, Ryan lived in London and ran a successful immigration law practice with his father. By 2008, the business had grown to 150 staff and four offices worldwide. However, the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) hit his industry "overnight" because his clients couldn't sell their homes to afford to emigrate. The business collapsed, leaving him broke and deeply in debt—reportedly facing an $85,000 bill for IVF treatments on top of a mortgage. The Amazon Rejection and "The Idea"
Facing a dead end in law, Ryan decided to pivot to technology. He became obsessed with becoming Amazon Web Services (AWS) certified, viewing a job at Amazon as his "safest bet". After a grueling three-month interview process, he was rejected in the final round.
While studying, Ryan realized that high-quality cloud training was either outdated or prohibitively expensive. He decided to create his own training content, starting with a "cheat sheet" and later filming courses in his bedroom.
Ryan Kroonenburg is a prominent entrepreneur and educator in the cloud computing space, best known as the founder of A Cloud Guru (ACG), a leading online learning platform for cloud skills.
An "essay" or overview of his impact typically focuses on how he revolutionized technical education by making complex cloud certifications—particularly for Amazon Web Services (AWS)—accessible and engaging for millions of students. Key Contributions to Cloud Education
Founder of A Cloud Guru: Kroonenburg started ACG in 2015 after identifying a lack of high-quality, affordable training for AWS certifications. The platform grew from a single course on Udemy into a comprehensive enterprise learning solution that was eventually acquired by Pluralsight for approximately $2 billion.
Democratizing Tech Skills: His teaching style is often noted for being "hands-on" and avoiding overly academic jargon, which helped non-technical professionals transition into cloud careers.
Community Building: He is credited with fostering a massive community of "Cloud Gurus" through initiatives like the AWS This Week series and various community forums, making continuous learning a social experience.
AWS Community Hero: Due to his extensive work in spreading AWS knowledge, he was recognized by Amazon as an AWS Community Hero. Educational Resources
If you are looking for his specific teaching materials or courses, they are widely available on major learning platforms:
Udemy: Features several of his foundational courses, such as the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate.
A Cloud Guru / Pluralsight: The full suite of his updated labs and certification paths can be found on the A Cloud Guru website. What to Know About Udemy - U.S. News & World Report
Ryan Kroonenburg: Democratizing Cloud Education through A Cloud Guru
Ryan Kroonenburg is a prominent figure in the technology and education sectors, best known as the founder of A Cloud Guru (ACG). His journey from an unemployed lawyer to an AWS Community Hero has become a legendary narrative within the tech community, inspiring thousands of non-IT professionals to pivot into cloud computing. From Law to the Cloud: An Unlikely Pivot
Kroonenburg’s professional background did not begin in technology. He was originally an immigration lawyer in Australia. Following the global financial crisis, he found himself unemployed and, after a period of soul-searching, decided to leave the legal world to pursue a career in IT.
His entry into the cloud space was sparked by a personal setback: he was famously rejected for a job at Amazon. During his preparation for that role, he realized that Amazon Web Services (AWS) training was prohibitively expensive and difficult to access for the average learner. This realization became the catalyst for his entrepreneurial venture. The Founding of A Cloud Guru In 2015, Ryan and his brother, Sam Kroonenburg,
In 2015, Ryan and his brother Sam Kroonenburg co-founded A Cloud Guru. The platform was built on the mission of making cloud education accessible, affordable, and engaging.
Early Growth: The business initially gained traction on platforms like Udemy before launching its own independent site.
Expansion: Under Ryan’s leadership, ACG expanded beyond AWS to cover Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Microsoft Azure, and Linux, eventually acquiring competitors like Linux Academy.
Acquisition: In 2021, A Cloud Guru was acquired by Pluralsight in one of the largest deals in the history of the ed-tech sector, cementing Kroonenburg’s legacy as a pioneer in online technical training. Impact on Cloud Certification
Kroonenburg is widely recognized for his teaching style, which simplifies complex architectural concepts into digestible lessons. His courses, particularly the AWS Solutions Architect Associate series, are frequently cited by professionals as their primary resource for passing certification exams. Key contributions to the field include:
Democratization: Providing a pathway for non-technical individuals (like himself) to enter the cloud industry.
Industry Insights: Kroonenburg has highlighted critical trends, such as the fact that 64% of cloud professionals were cross-certified in 2020, a trend that continues to rise.
Hands-on Learning: He championed the use of "sandboxes" and hands-on labs, allowing students to practice in real cloud environments without the risk of unexpected costs. Legacy and Community Recognition
For his contributions to the AWS ecosystem, Ryan Kroonenburg was named an AWS Community Hero. This title is reserved for individuals who demonstrate exceptional enthusiasm and expertise while actively sharing their knowledge with the global community. Today, his "cloud guru" persona remains synonymous with high-quality cloud education, having helped millions of students worldwide achieve their certification goals. How I Passed the AWS Solutions Architect Associate Exam
Ryan Kroonenburg: Cloud Educator, Entrepreneur, and Founder of A Cloud Guru
Ryan Kroonenburg is a prominent figure in the cloud computing education space, best known as the co-founder and former CEO of A Cloud Guru (ACG), one of the world’s leading online learning platforms for cloud technologies.
Early Career and Inspiration Before becoming an entrepreneur, Ryan worked as a cloud architect and consultant, helping enterprises migrate to Amazon Web Services (AWS). During this time, he recognized a major gap in the market: traditional IT training was expensive, slow, and often outdated. Hands-on, practical cloud learning was hard to find.
Founding A Cloud Guru In 2015, Ryan and his brother Sam Kroonenburg started A Cloud Guru from their home in Melbourne, Australia. Their first course — AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate — was produced in Ryan’s spare bedroom. The course’s engaging, conversational style, combined with hands-on labs and regular updates, quickly gained a massive following. Within two years, ACG had taught over 500,000 students, and by 2019, that number had surpassed 1 million.
Growth and Acquisition Under Ryan’s leadership as CEO, A Cloud Guru expanded from AWS training to include Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and DevOps tools. The platform introduced interactive labs, cloud sandboxes, and learning paths that set a new industry standard. In 2021, Pluralsight acquired A Cloud Guru for $2 billion (USD) — one of the largest edtech acquisitions in history.
Post-ACG and Current Work After the acquisition, Ryan remained involved in cloud education and technology. He continues to advocate for practical, hands-on learning and has spoken at major cloud conferences like AWS re:Invent. He is also an active angel investor in edtech and SaaS startups, and occasionally creates content to help new cloud professionals break into the industry.
Legacy and Impact Ryan Kroonenburg is widely credited with democratizing cloud education. By making high-quality, affordable, and engaging cloud training accessible to anyone with an internet connection, he helped launch thousands of cloud careers. His approach — “learn by doing” — has influenced how modern technical training is designed across the industry. Are you looking for Ryan Kroonenburg’s latest courses
that he frequently recommended as essential reading for his A Cloud Guru students.
Kroonenburg, a prominent AWS instructor and co-founder of A Cloud Guru, often emphasised that watching videos alone wasn't enough to pass professional-level certifications; students needed to "dive deep" into official AWS technical documentation. Likely Contexts for "Deep Paper"
AWS Whitepapers: In his courses, Kroonenburg famously advocated for reading specific whitepapers, such as the AWS Well-Architected Framework and the AWS KMS Cryptographic Details, to gain the "deep" knowledge required for exams like the Solutions Architect Professional.
"Deep Dive" Lectures: Many of his most popular lessons were branded as "Deep Dives" into specific services like S3, VPC, or IAM.
Baseline Cloud Fluency: He published articles on "Baseline Cloud Fluency," which focused on mastering essential "deep" technical concepts to bridge the gap between engineering teams. Ryan Kroonenburg, A Cloud Guru | AWS Summit 2017
From Zero to Cloud Guru: How Ryan Kroonenburg Democratized AWS Learning
In the world of cloud computing, few names carry as much weight in the training space as Ryan Kroonenburg
. If you’ve ever Googled "how to pass the AWS Solutions Architect exam," chances are you’ve encountered his face, his distinct teaching style, and the platform he co-founded: A Cloud Guru
But how did a Solutions Architect from Australia turn a small Udemy course
into a global education powerhouse? Let’s dive into the legacy of the man who made the cloud accessible to everyone. The Spark: Solving the "Boring" Training Problem
Before 2015, cloud training was often locked behind expensive, week-long corporate boot camps or dry, text-heavy manuals. Ryan Kroonenburg recognized a massive gap: developers wanted to learn AWS in a way that was practical, affordable, and—most importantly—not boring
Together with his brother Sam, Ryan launched A Cloud Guru. Their philosophy was simple: Focus on the "Why": Don't just click buttons; understand the architecture. Exam Tips:
Ryan became famous for his "Exam Tips" slides, which distilled complex whitepapers into digestible nuggets for the big day. Hands-on Labs:
He pioneered the idea that you can't learn the cloud without actually building in it. The Growth: Scaling the Cloud Community How I Achieved the AWS Associate Certifications 30 Aug 2018 —
Ryan Kroonenburg is a prominent entrepreneur, technologist, and educator widely recognized for his contributions to cloud computing education. He is best known as the Founder of A Cloud Guru
, an online learning platform that revolutionized how IT professionals prepare for cloud certifications. Career & Achievements The last fourteen months … - precipitation io