Speak, the operator of the AI-based English learning app ‘Speak,’ has officially joined the ranks of unicorn companies. These are startups valued at over $1 billion. The company recently secured approximately $78 million (approx. 110 billion KRW) in Series C funding. This cements its position as a global leader in the EdTech sector.

Speak is pioneering a new paradigm in language education. It replaces expensive human tutors with an efficient, always-available AI interface. They aim to create a world without barriers of cost or location. Anyone should be able to achieve fluency. Speak leverages proprietary voice recognition technology and large language models (LLMs). This transforms the passive learning experience into an active process. It solves the “silent English” problem for millions of learners worldwide.

Leading Global Provider of AI Language Education

Speak has established itself as a top AI startup from the Korean market. It now operates globally. Accel led this latest $78 million investment. Existing investors like the OpenAI Startup Fund, Khosla Ventures, and Y Combinator also backed the round. As a result, Speak has doubled its valuation to $1 billion in just six months.

The company is headquartered in San Francisco. However, Speak identified South Korea as its core testbed. This is a market with high education spending but low speaking proficiency. This strategy paid off. It allowed them to refine their product before expanding to Japan, Taiwan, and the US. Speak is now capitalizing on global demand. They supply technology to individual learners. They also help major corporations upskill their workforce.

The Visionary Behind the Unicorn: Connor Zwick

The success of Speak is deeply rooted in the vision of its CEO, Connor Zwick. He is a co-founder and a known “EdTech prodigy.” Zwick made headlines early in his career. He sold his first startup, Flashcards+, to the education giant Chegg while still a teenager.

This early success earned him a prestigious Thiel Fellowship. Peter Thiel founded this program to encourage young entrepreneurs. It urges them to skip college to build transformative technologies. Consequently, Zwick dropped out of Harvard.

Solving the “Silent English” Problem

Zwick teamed up with Andrew Hsu. Hsu is a brilliant mind with a neuroscience background and another Thiel Fellow. They wanted to solve a specific problem. Why do people study languages for years but still fail to speak them?

They realized that apps could teach vocabulary. However, they couldn’t build confidence. Zwick spent years iterating on the technology. He lived between San Francisco and Seoul. His goal was to perfect an AI that listens and corrects users in real-time. His obsession was “spoken fluency” rather than multiple-choice testing. This is the DNA of the Speak app.

Speak’s 4 Key Features

• The AI Tutor: This is powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4 and Speak’s models. It engages users in free-flowing conversations. It also offers real-time corrections on grammar and pronunciation.

• Massive Voice Dataset: The platform processes over 1 billion spoken sentences annually. This creates an unrivaled dataset. It constantly improves speech recognition accuracy.

• Global Expansion & Localization: The app is successfully localized for Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. It also serves Spanish-speaking markets. This proves the model works across cultures.

• Speak for Business: This is a rapidly growing B2B solution. Over 100 major enterprises use it to train employees. It provides dashboards to track fluency and progress.

Digital Learning Platform – The AI Tutor

Speak is an information and practice platform. It is designed to help learners speak English out loud. Users speak more in 20 minutes than they would in a month of traditional classes. The core of the experience is the “AI Tutor.”

This feature simulates real-world scenarios. Scenarios range from ordering coffee to handling business negotiations. It offers a seamless environment. Users can make mistakes and learn from them instantly. Speak focuses on speech generation, unlike platforms that use gamification. Users can practice role-plays. They receive feedback on nuances. They can also track speaking velocity and accuracy in one place.

Why Language Learners Need Speak

Learners need genuine communication skills to compete in a global workforce. They should work with Speak. Traditional methods often fail to bridge the gap. They separate “knowing” a language from “using” it. Those interested in mastering English should look into Speak.

Speak provides a conversational partner. It also acts as a personalized coach. The platform makes it easy to manage learning intervals. Users can follow fluency progress. They can monitor specific weak points in pronunciation. Their key strength is helping intermediate learners. These learners often freeze when speaking. Many cannot afford expensive private tutors. Speak is the perfect option. It offers “superhuman” tutoring at a fraction of the cost.

Taking AI Education Global

In 2025 and beyond, the company will expand globally. They have seen massive success in East Asia. Now, they are focusing on the US market. This includes English speakers learning Spanish. They are also targeting South America.

English education is a massive industry in Latin America and Southeast Asia. Therefore, Speak is tapping into these high-growth markets. They are using capital from their Series C round. Speak’s ultimate goal is to create a global education platform. Language barriers should cease to exist. They aim to become the default interface for learning any spoken language.

Over 100 Enterprise Clients

Speak has partnered with over 100 major corporations. These clients are in Korea and Japan. They use Speak to provide employee language training. Look at the trajectory of Speak. It is fueled by a unique team. They combine Silicon Valley tech DNA with insights into Asian markets.

With the new funding, they are aggressively hiring top AI talent. They aim to further refine their “Live Conversation” engine. The goal for the rest of the year is clear. They want to solidify their status as the world’s most effective language teacher.