Recently, Speak, a leading global AI learning platform, announced the completion of a $78 million Series C funding round, reaching a valuation of $1 billion. This funding marks the company's strong commitment to transforming language education with a focus on speaking fluency.
Founded in 2016 by Harvard and Stanford alumni Conor Zwick and Andrew Xu, Speak has become a leader in the language learning field by combining advanced artificial intelligence with expertly designed content, helping learners around the world make progress.
Speak's core philosophy is very simple: to effectively learn a language, you must first speak it out loud. Traditional language learning tools often overlook this crucial aspect, leaving learners unable to communicate confidently even after years of study. To bridge this gap, Speak has launched its unique AI-driven courses that dynamically adjust learning content based on user needs. Learners practice hundreds of sentences weekly on Speak's platform, improving their fluency through repeated practice and real-time feedback.
Many features of the platform, such as AI-driven live role-playing, allow learners to engage in immersive conversations, simulating real-life scenarios and receiving detailed corrections on intonation, pronunciation, and grammar. User feedback confirms the app's effectiveness. A Korean user stated, "I have tried seven different apps, but Speak is the best for fluency practice. It corrects grammar and pronunciation and provides natural phrase suggestions. Highly recommended!"
After achieving success in South Korea, Speak has expanded into markets such as Japan, Taiwan, and Europe, and has launched courses in Mandarin, as well as Spanish courses, showcasing its ambition for globalization. To enhance workplace English fluency, Speak also introduced the "Speak for Business" solution, helping organizations improve team communication skills, with over 200 clients participating, of which 85% of employees choose to use the solution.
Speak's success is attributed to its commitment to cutting-edge AI and voice recognition technology. The platform's learning relies on the latest large language models and innovative voice-to-voice technology, creating a dynamic and immersive learning experience. With OpenAI's real-time API, Speak sets a new benchmark in conversational AI, providing users with real-time feedback similar to human interaction.
As a company supported by executives and investors, Speak has raised a total of $162 million, backed by notable investors such as Accel, Khosla Ventures, OpenAI Startup Fund, and Y Combinator. The latest Series C funding was led by Accel, doubling the company's valuation within just six months. This funding will be used to expand into new markets, develop more language courses, and further enhance its AI learning engine.
Speak will continue to innovate, dedicated to building the world's most advanced AI language tutoring tools, making speaking fluency accessible. Speak's CEO Conor Zwick stated, "Our mission has always been to make language learning fun, efficient, and accessible, and we look forward to helping learners around the world communicate with confidence."
Key Highlights:
🌍 Speak has completed a $78 million Series C funding round, reaching a valuation of $1 billion, committed to transforming language learning.
The company has launched AI-driven courses focusing on speaking fluency, helping over 10 million learners make progress.
💼 The newly launched "Speak for Business" solution has over 200 clients participating, enhancing workplace English skills.