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Preply

Category: AI in Education

A global AI-powered language learning marketplace that connects students with private tutors through a 'human-led, AI-enhanced' educational model. Preply was founded in 2012. The company is led by Kirill Bigai. Based in Barcelona, Spain. Team size: 500-1000. Total funding raised: $299.0M. Latest round: Series D ($150M, Jan 2026). Key investors include ["WestCap","Owl Ventures","Horizon Capital","Hoxton Ventures","Reach Capital","Techstars"].

Founded
2012
Headquarters
Barcelona, Spain
Team size
500-1000
Total funding
$299.0M

Value proposition

Accelerates language fluency by combining the personalized accountability of human tutoring with generative AI tools that automate lesson planning and track progress.

Products and solutions

["1-on-1 Live Tutoring Marketplace (50+ languages)","Preply Business (Enterprise-grade language training solutions)","Preply Assistant (AI-powered learning companion for students)","Tutor AI Toolkit (Automated curriculum generation and lesson summaries)","Self-study mobile app with vocabulary and practice modules"]

Unique value

Pioneered the 'human-in-the-loop' AI model for language learning, where AI does not replace the teacher but acts as a co-pilot to personalize the curriculum in real-time.

Target customer

Individual language learners (B2C), global enterprises seeking corporate training (B2B), and professional freelance tutors.

Industries served

["Education Technology (EdTech)","Corporate Training & Development","Artificial Intelligence","Language Services"]

Technology advantage

Proprietary matching algorithm utilizing 400+ variables to pair students with tutors; leverages a massive proprietary dataset of millions of hours of human-to-human learning interactions to train specialized pedagogical AI models.

How they differentiate

Preply differentiates through a 'human-led, AI-enhanced' model. Unlike Duolingo's self-paced app or Italki's pure marketplace, Preply provides tutors with proprietary AI tools (Preply Assistant) to automate lesson planning, track student progress, and personalize curricula using data from millions of hours of learning interactions.

Main competitors

["Italki","Cambly","Duolingo","Babbel"]

Key partnerships

["Techstars (Accelerator alumnus)","Strategic VC partners (WestCap, Horizon Capital, Owl Ventures)","B2B Enterprise partners (including hundreds of global corporations like Mondelēz and Bain)"]

Notable customers

["Mondelēz","Bain & Company","Prudential","GroupM","Bayer"]

Major milestones

["Achieved Unicorn status with a $1.2B valuation in January 2026","Launched AI-powered 'Preply Assistant' for tutors and students in 2023","Expanded B2B offering to over 200 global enterprises","Opened global headquarters in Barcelona and expanded US presence in New York"]

Growth metrics

Achieved unicorn status with a $1.2B valuation in 2026; 10x revenue growth over the last three years; 40,000+ active tutors teaching 50+ languages.

Market positioning

Premium global EdTech leader and unicorn ($1.2B valuation) positioning itself as the bridge between traditional 1-on-1 tutoring and scalable AI educational technology.

Geographic focus

Global, with primary hubs in Barcelona (Spain), New York (USA), and Kyiv (Ukraine). Significant growth focus on the North American and European enterprise markets.

Patents and IP

No registered public patents disclosed; relies on proprietary machine learning algorithms and trade-secret data architectures.

About Kirill Bigai

Kirill Bigai is the Co-founder and CEO of Preply. He has over 12 years of experience leading the company from a local startup to a global AI-powered EdTech unicorn. Prior to Preply, he served as a Project Manager at Nokia Siemens Networks (2008–2012) and an Engineer at MTS Group (2007–2008). He is a prominent figure in the European EdTech ecosystem and a member of the Edtech Founders Club.

Official website: