The power of human connection and AI co-pilots

Preply's platform, a pioneer in online language education, connects over 100,000 teachers with students in 180 countries for private lessons in more than 90 languages. Thanks to the unique combination of personal lessons and the AI-supported co-pilot suite for teachers, Preply is transforming the way people learn. This is made possible by high-quality, flexible, and customized learning experiences designed for real progress with each lesson.

The Series D fundraising for Preply took place at a time when an estimated 1.8 billion people, or roughly one in four people worldwide, want to master a second language, according to HolonIQ, the international education data platform. It is estimated that the global market for direct-to-consumer language education will reach $227 billion by 2035. In the past five years, the market has already experienced a threefold growth, and long-term forecasts indicate sustained exponential growth in the coming years.

Exponential growth for Preply in a billion-dollar market

Since the Series C funding round, Preply has more than tripled the number of teachers available for lessons. The offering has also expanded with more than 40 new languages on the platform. In the past twelve months, Preply has continued to improve its business results and achieved positive EBITDA.

With this capital and the support of new and existing investors, including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Horizon Capital, Preply will further commit to delivering the world’s most personalized learning experiences at scale. The company plans to enhance its AI and data capabilities, expand its product and engineering teams to improve the user experience on the platform, and accelerate its global growth to reach more students and teachers worldwide. At the same time, Preply is driving a fundamental change in the traditional education system. The WestCap team, which has a strong track record in developing and scaling international platforms like Airbnb and StubHub, will help Preply further increase its global impact.

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Innovation at the intersection of human and technology

'We are incredibly grateful and feel a great responsibility for the way people will learn in the future,' says Kirill Bigai, co-founder and CEO of Preply. 'Today, we connect people with the best teachers in the world, and AI offers even more possibilities. This makes learning much more efficient than was previously possible. We are pleased to partner with WestCap, as they know better than anyone how to help founders build legendary brands that change the world. Thanks to this investment, we can continue to innovate at the intersection of human education and AI. This gives people the opportunity to connect with each other, build relationships, succeed, and make meaningful progress, wherever they are in the world.'

While other learning platforms are increasingly focusing on automation, Preply remains committed to the power of human connection. Preply uses AI to enable and enhance teacher-led learning and to support the co-pilot suite for teachers. According to Preply's efficiency study from 2025, conducted in collaboration with the non-profit research organization LeanLab Education, 96% of students find lessons with a human teacher and real conversations crucial for making progress. 97% of students in the study say that these interactions are essential for boosting their confidence.

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Proven results: faster learning through AI support

The research also showed that students with Preply made progress up to three times faster compared to average benchmarks, with one in three students climbing a full CEFR level in just 12 weeks. This indicates that human guidance remains a powerful driver for meaningful learning, and AI can give this a tremendous boost: Preply's co-pilot suite for teachers tracks progress, provides actionable insights, and automates administrative tasks, allowing teachers to focus on teaching and helping students reach their goals faster.

'Preply sets a new standard for personalized education at scale, and the possibilities are virtually endless,' says Allen Mask, Partner at WestCap and former senior executive at Airbnb, who is joining Preply's board. 'The numbers show that teachers perform well when real human education is supported by technology. In today's increasingly connected world, there is a real demand for democratized access to high-quality education in a modern and effective way. Preply has the leading product, the experienced leadership team, and the vision to shape the way people communicate worldwide.'

This latest round brings Preply's total funding to approximately $299 million to date. This underscores investors' confidence in the company's mission and long-term growth trajectory. With sustained momentum in the global market, Preply is well-positioned to expand its impact, build on proven learning outcomes, and further position itself as a leading company in human-led and AI-supported learning.

For more information, visit Preply.com.

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