The language learning industry in the US is a dynamic and rapidly evolving sector that focuses on helping individuals acquire new language skills. Companies range from traditional educational institutions to innovative tech platforms offering interactive apps, online courses, and personalized tutoring services. As globalization continues to increase, so does the demand for effective language acquisition tools. The integration of advanced technologies, such as AI and immersive learning experiences, is reshaping how language education is delivered, creating opportunities for investors keen on tapping into this expanding market.


The following selection features a mix of corporate and venture capital investors, primarily located in major US cities like San Francisco and New York. Founded as early as 1911, these investors vary significantly in size, from a few employees to multinational firms with thousands. In 2024, these investors collectively executed numerous deals, showcasing their robust engagement in the growing language learning space and a commitment to boosting educational technology.


Top 18 Language Learning Investors in the US


1. Y Combinator

  • Website: ycombinator.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 2005
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • Number of deals in 2024: 802
  • LinkedIn: y-combinator

Y Combinator is a startup accelerator and venture capital firm based in San Francisco, California, founded in 2005. It provides funding and mentorship to early-stage technology companies through a structured program that helps entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses. Y Combinator has successfully launched over 4,000 startups, making it a key player in the technology startup ecosystem. Notably, Y Combinator has invested in several language learning companies, including Verbling, which raised $20,000 in a seed round in 2011, Poliglota, which raised $2.5 million in 2021, and Cambly, which received funding in multiple seed rounds in 2014 and 2016. Additionally, they invested in eChineseLearning, which raised an undisclosed amount in 2007. These transactions highlight Y Combinator's active role in the language learning industry, supporting innovative platforms that facilitate language acquisition and education.


2. Government of Canada

  • Website: canada.ca
  • Type: Corporate
  • Headquarters: Canada, Kentucky, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 1999
  • Headcount: 10001+
  • Number of deals in 2024: 137
  • LinkedIn: government-of-canada

The Government of Canada is a public entity that provides a wide range of services and information to Canadian citizens and residents, addressing various needs including employment, immigration, health care, and taxation. Founded in 1999, it operates through multiple departments and agencies to ensure access to essential services and support for individuals and businesses across the country. In recent years, the Government has made significant investments in language learning through grants to organizations such as The Immigrant Education Society and Kneehill Adult Learning & Newcomer Supports, which focus on providing educational resources and support for newcomers. Additionally, Educacentre College and Université Sainte-Anne have also received funding, further emphasizing the government's role in promoting language education and integration for diverse communities in Canada.


3. 500 Global

  • Website: 500.co
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 2010
  • Headcount: 201-500
  • Number of deals in 2024: 98
  • LinkedIn: 500-startups

500 Global is a venture capital firm and startup accelerator based in San Francisco, California, founded in 2010. The firm specializes in investing in early-stage technology companies, providing not only funding but also mentorship and resources to help founders scale their businesses. Among their notable investments, 500 Global participated in the Series A funding round for AmazingTalker, a Taiwan-based education technology company focused on language learning, which raised $15.5 million. Additionally, they were involved in the funding rounds for CultureAlley, a language learning startup that raised $6.5 million in Series A funding, as well as earlier seed funding rounds. These transactions highlight 500 Global's active role in the language learning industry, showcasing their interest in innovative educational technologies.


4. Goodwater Capital

  • Website: goodwatercap.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Burlingame, California, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 2014
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • Number of deals in 2024: 41
  • LinkedIn: goodwater-capital

Goodwater Capital is a venture capital firm based in Burlingame, California, founded in 2014. The firm specializes in consumer technology and supports seed-stage entrepreneurs by providing investment, resources, and a community to help them grow. Goodwater Capital has a diverse investment portfolio, focusing on various sectors, including healthcare and financial services, while also showing a notable interest in the language learning industry. They have participated in significant funding rounds for language learning companies such as Toucan, a language learning browser extension that raised $4.5 million in seed funding, Jumpspeak, which raised $400,000 in a pre-seed round, and Novakid, which secured $35 million in Series B funding. Additionally, they invested in Buddy.ai, which raised $11 million in a seed round in 2024. These transactions highlight Goodwater Capital's commitment to enhancing language learning solutions and their active role in this sector.


5. Learn

  • Website: learn.vc
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Austin, Texas, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 2009
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 4
  • LinkedIn: learn-capital

Learn is a venture capital firm based in Austin, Texas, founded in 2009. They focus on providing capital and capabilities to entrepreneurs, particularly in the technology and education sectors, with an emphasis on human-centric companies. Learn has been involved in several significant transactions in the language learning industry, including investments in Verbling, an online language acquisition service, where they participated in seed funding rounds in 2012 and 2013. They also invested in Fluent City, which raised $2.5 million in a seed round in 2016. Furthermore, Learn's investment in VIPKID, which raised substantial funding in both Series C and Series D rounds, highlights their active role in supporting language education platforms. Their business model revolves around nurturing innovative ventures that address societal challenges, including those in language learning.


6. Reach Capital

  • Website: reachcapital.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 2015
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 17
  • LinkedIn: reach-capital

Reach Capital is a venture capital firm based in San Francisco, California, founded in 2015. The firm specializes in investing in early-stage startups across the learning, health, and work sectors. They provide funding, resources, and support to entrepreneurs, helping them to grow their businesses and tackle significant challenges. Notably, Reach Capital has made several investments in the language learning space, including a $42 million investment in Preply, a platform for language tutoring, and a $6 million investment in Lingokids, an educational platform for young children that focuses on language learning. Additionally, they participated in funding rounds for Outschool, an online learning platform that offers various classes, including language courses. These transactions highlight Reach Capital's active role in supporting innovative solutions within the language learning industry.


7. GSV Ventures

  • Website: gsv.ventures
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 2016
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 9
  • LinkedIn: gsvventures

GSV Ventures is a venture capital firm based in San Francisco, California, founded in 2016. The firm focuses on investing in education technology companies and provides insights and analysis on the digital learning landscape. They host the ASU+GSV Summit, which connects leaders in education technology. GSV Ventures has been involved in several notable transactions in the language learning space, including investments in Voxy, a New York City-based English learning platform that raised $12 million in Series C funding and $4 million in Series A funding, both with participation from GSV Ventures. Additionally, they invested in Toucan, a language learning browser extension that raised $4.5 million in seed funding and $3 million in a previous seed round. These investments highlight GSV Ventures' commitment to supporting innovative solutions in language education.


8. Owl Ventures

  • Website: owlvc.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 2014
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 7
  • LinkedIn: owl-ventures-lp

Owl Ventures is a venture capital firm based in San Francisco, California, founded in 2014. The firm specializes in education technology, investing in innovative EdTech startups to enhance their growth and impact in the education sector. Owl Ventures has a diverse portfolio that includes companies focused on improving learning outcomes for students and educators. Notably, they have invested in Preply, an online language learning platform, participating in multiple funding rounds including a Series C round that raised $42 million in July 2023 and another Series C round of approximately $49.5 million in March 2022. Additionally, they invested in LingoAce, which raised $105 million in a Series C round in December 2021, further demonstrating their commitment to the language learning industry. These transactions highlight Owl Ventures' strategic focus on supporting companies that enhance language learning experiences.


9. SV Angel

  • Website: svangel.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 2009
  • Headcount: 1-10
  • Number of deals in 2024: 44
  • LinkedIn: sv-angel

SV Angel is a venture capital firm based in San Francisco, California, founded in 2009. They specialize in investing in early-stage and growth-stage technology companies, providing not only financial backing but also strategic advice and access to a broad network of industry experts. Notably, SV Angel has invested in several language learning companies, including Chatterbug, which raised $1.8 million in a seed round in 2017, and Verbling, an online language acquisition service that received $1 million in seed funding in 2012. Additionally, they participated in the seed round for Cambly, a platform that connects language learners with native speakers for practice. These investments highlight SV Angel's commitment to fostering innovation in the language learning sector.


10. Rethink Capital Partners

  • Website: rethink.vc
  • Type: Corporate
  • Headquarters: White Plains, New York, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 2012
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 3
  • LinkedIn: rethink-capital-partners

Rethink Capital Partners is an investment firm based in White Plains, New York, specializing in impact investing within the real estate and venture capital sectors. Founded in 2012, the firm focuses on developing and managing properties while also supporting early-stage investments in various sectors, including education, food, and healthcare. Notably, Rethink Capital Partners has been involved in significant transactions within the language learning space, particularly with Voxy, a New York City-based English learning platform. They participated in Voxy's Series B and Series C funding rounds, contributing to a total of $19 million raised by the company. Additionally, they were involved in the Series A funding round for Voxy EnGen, further emphasizing their commitment to language learning initiatives. Their investments reflect a dedication to aligning financial returns with positive societal impact, particularly in underserved regions.


11. Tiger Global

  • Website: tigerglobal.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: New York, New York, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 2001
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • Number of deals in 2024: 25
  • LinkedIn: tiger-global-management

Tiger Global Management, LLC is a prominent investment firm based in New York, specializing in both public and private equity investments. Founded in 2001, the firm manages approximately $50 billion and focuses on innovative companies leveraging technology. Among its notable investments, Tiger Global has participated in funding rounds for language learning startups such as LingoAce, which raised $58 million in Series B funding in April 2021, and CultureAlley, which secured $6.5 million in Series A funding in July 2015. Additionally, they have invested in Outschool, an educational platform that offers various learning opportunities, including language courses. These transactions highlight Tiger Global's active role in the language learning industry, alongside their broader investment strategy targeting technology-driven companies.


12. Sosv

  • Website: sosv.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 1995
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • Number of deals in 2024: 170
  • LinkedIn: sosv

Sosv is a venture capital firm founded in 1995, based in the United States, specializing in funding and supporting deep tech startups through its development programs. With a focus on sectors like health and climate technology, Sosv operates globally, connecting innovative companies with investors. Notably, Sosv has been involved in significant transactions within the language learning space, particularly with ELSA, an English learning app. Sosv participated in ELSA's funding rounds, including a $3.2 million Seed round in 2018, a $7 million Series A round in 2019, and a $15 million Series B round in 2021. These investments highlight Sosv's commitment to fostering growth in the language learning industry, making it a relevant player in this sector.


13. Accel

  • Website: accel.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Palo Alto, California, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 1983
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • Number of deals in 2024: 101
  • LinkedIn: accel-vc

Accel is a venture capital firm founded in 1983, based in Palo Alto, California, specializing in investing in startups and early-stage companies primarily in the technology sector. With a global presence that includes offices in London, India, and China, Accel has a diverse portfolio. Notably, they have invested in Vedantu, an edtech startup that aims to disrupt the tutoring market with its platform for online and live one-on-one tutoring, raising a total of $110 million across multiple funding rounds from 2015 to 2020. Additionally, Accel's recent investment in Speak, which raised $78 million in Series C funding, indicates their continued interest in language learning and education technologies.


14. Insight Partners

  • Website: insightpartners.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: New York, New York, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 1995
  • Headcount: 201-500
  • Number of deals in 2024: 64
  • LinkedIn: insight--partners

Insight Partners is a venture capital firm based in New York, specializing in providing investment and advisory services to high-growth technology and software companies. Founded in 1995, the firm manages over $75 billion in assets and has a strong focus on helping portfolio companies scale effectively in competitive markets. Notably, Insight Partners has invested in several companies within the language learning and educational technology sectors, including Open English, which raised $43 million in a Series C funding round led by Insight. They also participated in the Series B funding of Yogome, a Mexican edtech startup, and have invested in Achieve3000, which raised $9 million in Series C funding. These transactions highlight Insight Partners' commitment to supporting innovative companies in the language learning space.


15. Kapor Capital

  • Website: kaporcapital.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Oakland, California, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 1999
  • Headcount: 1-10
  • Number of deals in 2024: 6
  • LinkedIn: kapor-capital

Kapor Capital is a venture capital firm based in Oakland, California, founded in 1999. The firm specializes in investing in early-stage startups that aim to close gaps of access and economic opportunity, particularly for underrepresented communities. They provide funding, support, and resources to help these startups grow and achieve their social impact goals. Among their notable transactions, Kapor Capital has invested in Encantos, an edutainment company that raised $2 million in seed funding to expand its subscription services for preschool and primary school children, which likely includes language learning content. They also invested in NoRedInk, which raised $6 million in Series A funding to help students improve their writing skills, further emphasizing their commitment to educational initiatives. These investments reflect Kapor Capital's focus on supporting companies that enhance educational access and learning opportunities, including language learning.


16. Google

  • Website: google.com
  • Type: Corporate
  • Headquarters: Mountain View, California, United States (USA)
  • Headcount: 10001+
  • Number of deals in 2024: 32
  • LinkedIn: google

Google, based in Mountain View, California, is a corporate investor with a large workforce and a diverse portfolio. While primarily recognized for its advertising technology through Google AdMob, which provides mobile app monetization solutions, Google has also engaged in significant investments in the language learning sector. Notably, Google has provided grants to various educational initiatives, including Langly, which raised $23,000 in June 2024, CommonLit, which secured $3.5 million in October 2018, and Quill, which raised $1.3 million in May 2019. These transactions highlight Google's commitment to enhancing language education and literacy, making it a relevant player in the language learning investment landscape.


17. Bessemer Venture Partners

  • Website: bvp.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 1911
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 78
  • LinkedIn: bessemer-venture-partners

Bessemer Venture Partners is a venture capital firm founded in 1911, based in San Francisco, California. The firm specializes in providing funding and investment management services to startups and growth-stage companies across various sectors, including technology and healthcare. In the language learning context, Bessemer has made significant investments in companies such as Cambly, which raised $15 million in Series A funding to offer on-demand English language tutoring. They also invested in Lingokids, which raised $4 million in a seed round to create an engaging platform for children to learn English. Furthermore, Bessemer participated in the Series B funding of Wukong Education, which is expanding its English division, highlighting their active role in supporting language learning initiatives. Their diverse portfolio and commitment to fostering growth in the language learning sector make them a notable investor in this field.


18. Pearson Online & Blended Learning


Pearson Online & Blended Learning, a division of Pearson PLC, is an educational services company based in Columbia, Maryland, that specializes in providing a wide range of online learning solutions and academic support programs. Founded in 1998, Pearson has over 20 years of experience in online education, partnering with educational institutions to deliver flexible and personalized learning options. In recent years, Pearson has made significant strides in the language learning sector, highlighted by its acquisition of Mondly, a leading online language learning platform, in April 2022. This acquisition is part of Pearson's strategy to expand its direct-to-consumer services and improve language skills through innovative online self-study tools. Additionally, Pearson has previously acquired Wall Street Institute and GlobalEnglish, further reinforcing its commitment to language education. These transactions illustrate Pearson's active role in the language learning industry, enhancing its portfolio with valuable resources and platforms.



Language Learning Insights: Key Investors in the US


InvestorHeadquarterSizeFoundedDeals 2024
Y CombinatorSan Francisco, California, United States (USA)51-2002005802
Government of CanadaCanada, Kentucky, United States (USA)10001+1999137
500 GlobalSan Francisco, California, United States (USA)201-500201098
Goodwater CapitalBurlingame, California, United States (USA)51-200201441
LearnAustin, Texas, United States (USA)11-5020094
Reach CapitalSan Francisco, California, United States (USA)11-50201517
GSV VenturesSan Francisco, California, United States (USA)11-5020169
Owl VenturesSan Francisco, California, United States (USA)11-5020147
SV AngelSan Francisco, California, United States (USA)1-10200944
Rethink Capital PartnersWhite Plains, New York, United States (USA)11-5020123
Tiger GlobalNew York, New York, United States (USA)51-200200125
SosvUnited States (USA)51-2001995170
AccelPalo Alto, California, United States (USA)51-2001983101
Insight PartnersNew York, New York, United States (USA)201-500199564
Kapor CapitalOakland, California, United States (USA)1-1019996
GoogleMountain View, California, United States (USA)10001+32
Bessemer Venture PartnersSan Francisco, California, United States (USA)11-50191178
Pearson Online & Blended LearningColumbia, Maryland, United States (USA)1001-500019980


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