Language-learning startup Preply has raised $150 million in new funding, pushing its valuation to $1.2 billion and cementing its place among the latest EdTech unicorns. The Series D round was led by growth equity firm WestCap, signaling renewed investor confidence in education platforms that prioritize real human interaction—even as AI reshapes the sector.
The raise comes at a moment when language learning is surging worldwide. Remote work, cross-border hiring, and global migration have turned conversational fluency into a professional necessity rather than a nice-to-have. Preply is betting that the next phase of growth won’t be driven by gamified apps alone, but by platforms that blend technology with human connection.
Scaling live tutoring, not replacing it
Founded in 2012, Preply operates what it calls the world’s largest marketplace for live language tutoring. The platform connects more than 100,000 tutors with learners in 180 countries, offering lessons across 90-plus languages.
What differentiates Preply in a crowded market is its insistence on keeping humans at the center. While many language apps lean heavily on automation, Preply’s model revolves around one-on-one sessions with real tutors. AI plays a supporting role, not the starring one.
Behind the scenes, the company uses an AI “co-pilot” to help tutors track learner progress, organize materials, and generate insights. The idea is to remove administrative friction while leaving the core learning experience—conversation, feedback, and motivation—in human hands.
A founder story rooted in frustration
Preply’s origins are personal. Co-founders Kirill Bigai, Dmytro Voloshyn, and Sergey Lukyanov started the company after experiencing firsthand how traditional language education often falls apart in real-world settings.
Bigai has spoken openly about struggling to follow everyday conversations after moving abroad—despite years of formal study. That gap between textbook knowledge and real communication became the foundation of Preply’s approach: learning that’s practical, personal, and adaptable.
Why investors are paying attention now
EdTech has had a volatile few years. Pandemic-era growth cooled, funding tightened, and investors became more selective. Preply’s raise stands out because it reflects a shift in what backers are looking for.
Rather than chasing pure automation, investors appear increasingly interested in platforms that show sustainable engagement and clear outcomes. Preply’s structured tutoring model, recurring usage, and global scale fit that profile.
The involvement of WestCap—known for backing companies with long-term operational discipline—adds weight to the bet that education platforms can grow without sacrificing quality or trust.
How it stacks up against rivals
Language-learning giants like Duolingo and Babbel dominate self-paced learning, while iTalki offers flexible access to tutors.
Preply positions itself somewhere in between: more structured than open marketplaces, more human than app-first platforms. Its focus is less on quick streaks and more on long-term confidence—especially for learners using language professionally.
What’s next for Preply
With fresh capital, Preply plans to expand its global footprint, invest more deeply in AI and data science, and grow its product and engineering teams. The company says it will continue refining personalization so lessons adapt more closely to individual goals, industries, and learning styles.
Hiring is a major priority. Preply expects to bring on around 100 new engineers over the next year, doubling down on R&D rather than flashy marketing.
The bigger takeaway
Preply’s unicorn moment reflects a broader recalibration in EdTech. As AI becomes ubiquitous, the most valuable platforms may be those that know where not to automate.
In language learning, where confidence, culture, and nuance matter, Preply is betting that technology works best when it stays in the background—quietly helping humans do what they already do best.
Conclusion
In an era obsessed with AI replacing people, Preply just raised $150 million by arguing the opposite.