Top 38 Language Learning startups

Updated: Jan 21, 2026
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These startups develop language exchange platforms, AI-powered language tutors, vocabulary-building apps, pronunciation assessment tools, multilingual learning games, etc.
1
Preply
Country: USA | Funding: $320.1M
Preply is an online tutoring platform, aiming to help students achieve their learning goals and prepare them to speak confidently.
2
Prep Edu
Country: Singapore | Funding: $7M
Prep Edu - AI-powered English/Chinese language test-preparation platform. It provides four courses: IELTS preparation, TOEIC, HSK and PrepTalk English. The services provides personalized learning paths, interactive video lessons, practice in virtual listening & reading rooms, Teacher Bee AI (your learning companion), access to idea bank and model answers created by former IELTS examiners. Prep's lessons are concise and easy to remember, which is great for IELTS beginners. You can study anytime, anywhere - just with your phone.
3
VIP Kid
Country: China | Funding: $1.1B
VIPKid connects teachers in North America with children around the world for real-time English immersion learning online
4
Hujiang
Country: China | Funding: $187M
Hujiang is a professional e-learning platform, which provides users with products and services of convenience and excellence.
5
Duolingo
Country: USA | Funding: $183.3M
Duolingo is an online language learning platform offering over 40 different languages. It's available via suitable mobile app, allowing you to study whenever you want, without having to attend classes. Learning is structured as a series of short lessons with game-like elements (such as points, levels and "streaks") and an adaptive algorithm. The learning plan is suitable for both children and adults: you progress through levels of increasing difficulty and complete exercises that expand your vocabulary and develop your reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. The service uses artificial intelligence to create courses and personalize content. It also provides the opportunity to take an English test and receive a certificate. Basic levels are available for free (with ads). Duolingo is gradually expanding its subjects, offering courses in math, music and chess.
6
LingoAce
Country: Singapore | Funding: $180M
LingoAce is a service offering Chinese, English and math tutoring for children aged 3 to 15. Classes are held online (individually or in small groups) with live certified teachers. The curriculum aligns with international standards (HSK for Chinese, CEFR for English). Their game-based lessons, storylines, and characters are specifically designed to meet the psychological needs of children. Each lesson follows a continuous storyline to ensure maximum progress. Topics are deepened and expanded through a special spiral structure, creating a cohesive learning process. The service has achieved extensive international coverage - over 100 countries. The company also opened offline learning centers in Singapore, United States and Australia in addition to its online courses. LingoAce partners with international organizations to train teachers.
7
Speak
Country: USA | Funding: $152M
Speak is a mobile app that helps people learn new languages through AI-powered conversation.
8
Lingoda
Country: Germany | Funding: €69.7M
Lingoda offers online live language classes in English, German, Spanish, French with qualified, native-speaking teachers.
9
Praktika
Country: USA | Funding: $36.5M
Praktika offers an sutomated 1-1 tutorship powered by genAI Avatars.
10
Babbel
Country: Germany | Funding: $33.3M
Babbel is the market-leading app for language learning.
11
Memrise
Country: UK | Funding: $21.8M
Memrise develops language-learning app that employs machine learning to adapt to users’ needs as they progress through their lessons
12
Busuu
Country: UK | Funding: €14M
busuu is a mobile app for language learning with the goal of breaking down language barriers.
13
Prep
Country: Vietnam | Funding: $9M
Prep is a platform that provides interactive learning for standardized assessments.
14
Lang-8
Country: Japan | Funding: $7.9M
language learning community site
15
Tandem
Country: Germany | Funding: €7M
Tandem is a free mobile app that provides the easiest way to learn a foreign language one-on-one with other people from around the world.
16
RareJob
Country: Japan | Funding: ¥913M
Rarejob is an online platform that offers English learning services for individual and corporate needs.
17
Speexx
Country: Germany | Funding: $5M
The #1 digital people development platform for enterprise business coaching, language and intercultural training, and skills assessment
18
itakli
Country: China | Funding: $3M
italki is an eLearning platform that connects its users with online language teachers around the world.
19
cabuu
Country: Germany | Funding: €2.2M
cabuu is the no-effort study app that replaces flashcard learning with interactive facts
20
Chatterbox
Country: UK | Funding: £1.7M
Chatterbox is a smart online language learning for professionals, powered by refugees.
21
Univerbal
Country: Switzerland | Funding: $2M
Univerbal is building an AI based language learning app that helps people get conversational fluency.
22
Lingawa
Country: USA | Funding: $1.2M
Lingawa is an edtech company driven by the goal to provide access to a great education for all
23
Beelinguapp
Country: Germany | Funding: $1.1M
Beelinguapp gives the power to read, listen and understand a second language; with karaoke audiobooks and side by side reading.
24
Heylama
Country: Germany | Funding: €650K
Build interactive AI conversational learning flows with a few instructions. A powerful chat interface to learn and practice anything.
25
Capeesh
Country: Norway | Funding: $400K
Capeesh is language learning based on machine intelligence. The software teaches you industry terminology and pronunciation in a fun way.
26
Beepboop
Country: USA | Funding: $360K
Audio-only virtual school for language learning
27
Mytoori
Country: Netherlands
Read bilingual short stories in the language you're learning. Easily toggle on sentence level to your native language.
28
KoreanMate
Country: Indonesia
Indonesian AI-based Korean language learning startup KoreanMate has entered a new phase of its growth strategy by partnering with Chungbuk
29
Lingostar
Country: Singapore
Lingostar is an innovative online platform that brings high-quality one-on-one live classes to students around the world with a wide range of qualified native-speaking English teachers.
30
Dex
Country: USA
Dex offers purpose-built devices, software and content to help young children reach their full potentials.
31
Lelu
Country: USA
Lelu is an ed-tech company offering a fun and engaging Spanish learning program for kids, along with offers board and card games.
32
HiNative
Country: Japan
HiNative is a question and answer online platform for learning different languages.
33
LingualBox
Country: Japan
Affordable Language Learning Service
34
SignLab
Country: Norway
SignLab is developing a digital learning platform that makes learning sign languages more accessible, effective, and affordable.
35
Taaly
Country: Netherlands
Taaly is a 1-on-1 training platform that connects new Dutch learners with natives. You practice the Dutch language using video chat with a native speaker to eventually be able to communicate with everyone and find your place in society.
36
NaTakallam
Country: USA
NaTakallam connects refugees with language-related income opportunities online, including tutoring and translation jobs.
37
LangAI
Country: UK
LangAI is ChatGPT language learning app that allows to practice +20 languages. Speak or chat to an AI, and benefit from live corrections and adaptive, personalized conversations to rapidly enhance your language skills.
38
Rosetta Stone
Country: USA
Rosetta Stone provides technology-based language learning solutions, including software, online services, and audio practice tools.
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Nadia Neveu
Editor: Nadia Neveu
Nadia Neveu is a senior editor for EdTechStartups. She is a writer covering early childhood education, K-12, higher education and edtech business, and her work has appeared in The New York Times, BBC and Vice. Nadia holds a degree in mass communication from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Nadia is also a student in the Master of Science in Data Analytics program at the University of Houston-Downtown. Nadia seeks to uplift all teachers in the work that they do and support them as leaders and agents of change. You can contact Nadia at neveu(at)edtechstartups(dot)com