Q: Vitalii, tell us a bit about yourself and your role as the founder at Langly. What inspires you to continue your journey in the startup world, especially in the EdTech field, with so much competition?
Vitalii: Let’s start from the beginning. I am a serial entrepreneur, and Langly is not my first project. Before Langly, I developed several successful products, including a project with over 40 million downloads and a collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense. We discovered that about 30% of our users were trying to learn English using our translation app. This insight led us to delve deeper into the issue. After a year of research and thousands of reviews and surveys involving over 12,000 people from the U.S., Latin America, and Europe, we identified significant gaps in the market. This is how Langly began.
For me, Langly is more than just a project; it’s a part of my life. I believe that to change the world, you must start with education. As an entrepreneur, I see the immense potential to make a significant impact on the future.
Q: What was the background of your team when you hired them? Did you specifically look for people with an educational background, especially for an EdTech startup? How important is the team in your startup?
Vitalii: The most valuable asset in any startup is its people. You can’t achieve anything without a great team. Most of my team has been with me for about eight years. For the educational part, we strengthened our team by hiring experts with strong academic backgrounds and technical skills. This combination has made our research and development much more robust.
Q: Could you share some tips or experiences from your journey in the EdTech startup world?
Vitalii: The EdTech market is very sophisticated but fast-growing. My advice to entrepreneurs is not to create solutions that can be easily replaced. Identify and solve real problems. After a year of research, we found that the main issue in language learning globally is digital transformation and extremely low learning outcomes. Schools lack resources to develop digital educational products, leading to low student outcomes. We address these problems. Know your market, understand your customers, and create a solution that acts as a painkiller, not just a vitamin.
Q: What makes Langly unique compared to other solutions in the market?
Vitalii: Langly is unique because we use the official methodology from Oxford University, which has been teaching English for almost 100 years. We have successfully gamified the English learning process using this methodology, making us stand out. Our aim is to make high-quality English education accessible and affordable. We also integrate AI into our product to provide personalized learning experiences and support for students and teachers.
Q: Can you tell us about the impact of AI in your application?
Vitalii: We are in the early stages of our AI journey. Currently, we are developing an AI tutor that not only explains grammar basics but also motivates and guides students. We have a pronunciation checker and a progress tracking module. Soon, we will introduce advanced tasks to help students continuously improve all 4 main language skills. Our goal is to assist, but not replace, teachers by providing tools that reduce their workload and offer valuable insights into student progress.
Q: Have you approached schools in Moldova to pilot Langly?
Vitalii: Yes, a few schools in Moldova will pilot Langly in the upcoming school year. We aim to support teachers without altering the school curriculum. Teachers see the value in Langly, and we are committed to helping them.
Q: You’ve recently won significant awards and secured investments. Can you tell us more about these achievements and your plans for the future?
Vitalii: Langly recently has been shortlisted as Finalist of the EdTech Digest Awards 2024, won the EdTech Breakthrough Award being named the Language Learning Solution of the Year, a recognition by teachers worldwide. We’ve raised 200k from a U.S. private investment company and have several VCs interested in Langly. We were also selected for the EBRD Star Venture Programme and shortlisted for the 2024 EdTechX Language Learning Award.
Our primary markets are the U.S. and Latin America, where we are currently piloting Langly in schools. We plan to complete the A2 level by the end of this year and the C1 level next year.
But for us, Moldova is a strategic starting point, allowing us to test various models and hypotheses while supporting the local education system.
Q: Any final thoughts?
Vitalii: Langly’s mission is to solve real problems in education. We are dedicated to making a global impact, starting with Moldova. Our journey is just beginning, and we are excited about the future.
Vitalii Petrosyan’s journey with Langly highlights the power of innovation in education. By addressing real problems and using proven methodologies, Langly is set to make a significant impact in the EdTech world. Their recent achievements, including the prestigious EdTech Breakthrough Award, demonstrate their commitment to transforming language learning for students globally. With ambitious plans for expansion and continuous improvement, Langly’s future looks bright, and their contributions to education are just beginning.
