How Preply became one of the largest online language learning startups in the world

• Founded in 2012, Preply offers virtual live language tutoring for over 50 languages.
• The founders started Preply after they moved from Ukraine to the US.
• Preply recently raised $70 million in a Series C extension round led by Horizon Capital.

Over a decade ago, Preply CEO Kirill Bigai and his future cofounders Dmytro Voloshyn and Sergey Lukyanov moved from Ukraine to Boston for work. At the time, Bigai felt like his English proficiency wasn’t where he wanted it to be. “On paper, I was intermediate, but I was struggling to connect with people for business, ” he said.

To help with his English, Bigai found an online tutor who taught classes from Texas via Skype. The two hit it off and he could tell that his English skills were improving. He started to see the potential for online language tutoring as a viable business model, since online lessons were cheaper than in-person lessons and class schedules were more flexible.