A superhuman, AI-powered language tutor in your pocket
Speak has raised $154.7M across 7 funding rounds.
Key people at Speak.
Speak was founded by Andrew Hsu (Founder) and Connor Zwick (Founder/CEO).
Speak has raised $154.7M in total across 7 funding rounds.
Speak is a superhuman, AI-powered language tutor designed to help users achieve fluency by focusing on speaking practice with instant, personalized feedback. The product offers an adaptive curriculum that evolves with the learner, integrating real-time pronunciation correction, grammar support, and cultural nuances to facilitate natural conversation skills. It serves language learners worldwide who want flexible, on-the-go conversational practice without the need for a live tutor, addressing the common problem of limited speaking opportunities in traditional language learning methods. Speak’s growth is driven by its advanced AI capabilities, including OpenAI-powered real-time audio understanding and multimodal interaction, which enable highly interactive, natural dialogue experiences that accelerate language acquisition[1][2][4][7].
Speak was founded by a team focused on revolutionizing language learning by leveraging AI to create robust speaking experiences, a feature largely missing in earlier apps. The founders recognized that existing platforms lacked effective speaking components, especially those that could understand accented speech and provide meaningful feedback. The breakthrough came with the integration of OpenAI’s real-time API and multimodal audio processing, allowing Speak to instantly understand tone, pronunciation, and intent, and respond with natural, open-ended feedback. Early traction was gained by offering learners a personal AI tutor capable of simulating real-life conversations and providing immediate corrections, setting Speak apart from traditional vocabulary and grammar-focused apps[2][7].
Speak rides the wave of AI-driven personalized education, particularly in language learning, where conversational practice has traditionally been a bottleneck. The timing is critical as advances in AI, especially real-time speech recognition and natural language understanding, now enable scalable, high-quality speaking practice without human tutors. Market forces such as globalization, remote work, and increased demand for multilingual skills favor solutions like Speak that offer flexible, accessible language learning. By democratizing speaking practice, Speak influences the broader edtech ecosystem, pushing competitors to integrate more sophisticated AI-driven speaking components and raising the standard for interactive language learning apps[2][8].
Looking ahead, Speak is poised to deepen its AI capabilities, potentially incorporating more nuanced cultural and contextual understanding to further personalize learning. Trends such as multimodal AI, increased use of virtual and augmented reality for immersive learning, and growing demand for lifelong language skills will shape its evolution. Speak’s influence may expand beyond individual learners to educational institutions and corporate training, positioning it as a key player in the future of AI-powered language education. Its mission to get users speaking out loud with real-time, superhuman AI feedback remains a compelling hook that aligns with the increasing need for practical, conversational language skills in a connected world[2][7].
Speak was founded by Andrew Hsu (Founder) and Connor Zwick (Founder/CEO).
Speak has raised $154.7M in total across 7 funding rounds.
Speak's investors include Accel, Buckley Ventures, Khosla Ventures, KittyHawk Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, LGF, Next Play Ventures, Open AI Startup Fund, Plum Alley Investments, Esther Dyson, Gary Lauder, Gokul Rajaram.
Key people at Speak.
Speak has raised $154.7M across 7 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $78.0M Series C in December 2024.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 1, 2024 | $78.0M Series C | Accel, Buckley Ventures, Khosla Ventures, KittyHawk Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, LGF, Next Play Ventures, Open AI Startup Fund, Plum Alley Investments, Esther Dyson, Gary Lauder, Gokul Rajaram, Justin Mateen, Paul Graham | |
| Jun 1, 2024 | $20.0M Series B | Andreessen Horowitz, TJ Nahigian, Bee Partners, Blue Bear Capital, BoxGroup, Buckley Ventures, Byers Capital, Contrary Capital, First Round Capital, General Catalyst, GIT1K, Next Play Ventures, Sequoia Capital, UP.Partners, Y Combinator, Amjad Masad, Arash Ferdowsi, Balaji Srinivasan, Bradley Horowitz, David J. Phillips, Drew Houston, Dylan Field, Elad Gil, Gordon Wintrob, Jonathan Wasserstrum, Kyle Vogt, Marc Benioff, Michael Stoppelman, Nate Matherson, Nikhil Krishnan, Nitay Joffe, Sahin Boydas, Sam Altman, Zak Kukoff | |
| Mar 1, 2024 | $2.0M Seed | ANRI, Z Venture Capital | |
| Jul 1, 2023 | $16.0M Series B | Andreessen Horowitz, TJ Nahigian, BoxGroup, Buckley Ventures, Byers Capital, General Catalyst, Gradient Ventures, LGF, Dylan Field, Gordon Wintrob, Nikhil Krishnan, Zak Kukoff | |
| Nov 1, 2022 | $27.0M Series B | AAF Management Ltd., Andreessen Horowitz, TJ Nahigian, BoxGroup, Buckley Ventures, Byers Capital, Daffy, General Catalyst, Gradient Ventures, Immeasurable, LGF, Mischief Venture Capital, Open AI Startup Fund, Trajectory Ventures, Wind Ventures, Anthony Pompliano, Balaji Srinivasan, Claire Diaz-Ortiz, Dylan Field, Gordon Wintrob, Nate Matherson, Nikhil Krishnan, Othman Laraki, Youcef Es-skouri, Zak Kukoff | |
| May 1, 2021 | $740K Seed | ANRI, Z Venture Capital | |
| Jul 1, 2020 | $11.0M Series A | Immeasurable, Trajectory Ventures, Wind Ventures, Claire Diaz-Ortiz, Nate Matherson |
