Hearst Ventures’ Post

#Learning a new language is one of the New Year's resolutions for many of us. This year, we do it differently! Here is a list of the most promising #AI-powered #language learning #startups! https://lnkd.in/e_tRWv4t

Having done extensive work to implement a new set of AI tools, #Preply is raising the bar on language learning once more with a new re-brand, designed to transform the experience for the millions of people who dream of learning a new language. Our concept, “practice makes possible,” lies at the core of our fresh identity, emphasizing that real progress is achieved through repetition and consistent practice. For a deeper dive into the creative expression behind Preply’s rebranding, check here: https://lnkd.in/eDUaKc-n #rebranding #edtech #practice #languagelearning #startup

Another great day here at Preply today! Having done extensive work to implement a new set of AI tools, #Preply is raising the bar on language learning once more with a new re-brand, designed to transform the experience for the millions of people who dream of learning a new language. Our concept, “practice makes possible,” lies at the core of our fresh identity, emphasizing that real progress is achieved through repetition and consistent practice. For a deeper dive into the creative expression behind Preply’s rebranding, check here: https://lnkd.in/dARswcF2 #rebranding #edtech #practice #languagelearning #startup 

"This is godly. Amazed at myself for muttering the sentences I learned." This reviewer wins me on copy for introducing Speak. Learning a new language every time my family moved was challenging and, honestly, frustrating. Looking back, the languages I speak today are the ones acquired through speaking OUT LOUD (rather than the traditional textbook way, which I also did—vous savez, les gens ne savent pas que je parle Français... when I think I am speaking it). Becoming conversational built confidence and helped me make connections that I never would have. Speak makes you do just that- Improve fluency by making you speak out loud. I spoke 5,312 Spanish sentences out loud with Speak and am truly amazed. [Here’s a 7-day trial if you want to try: https://lnkd.in/gqA7NhmZ] We just doubled our valuation with a Series B extension led by Buckley Ventures, along with the OpenAI Startup Fund, Khosla Ventures, Paul Graham, and Jeff Weiner. Over 10 million users across 40 countries and 75 builders at Speak are reinventing the way people learn (starting with languages). Speak founders: Connor Zwick, was a startup founder in middle school - sold Flashcards to Chegg. Andrew Hsu was working on a Ph.D. at 15 at Stanford Neuroscience. The team at Speak is no less fabulous, from bleeding-edge AI/ML researchers Abhisaar Yadav, Jose Picado, Tobi Szuts, Fernando Padilla (who are also the best ping-pong players) to magical Product leaders Seung Jae Cha, Gang Chen, Tuyet Cam, Anna Liu, May Nguyen to genius Ops leads who have scaled several startups Colton Gyulay, James Raybould, Khunal Parkash Dyan Khor Yeon Seung Hong Yan Kindyushenko (and are the humblest humans you will ever meet) to kickass creators (better than Hollywood actors). Audrey (Hannah) Kim Jules LaCour Cameron Lombardo Charlene Ying Xiong, Ph.D., Dalma Daniela Naoki Tamura Doohyun Chung & more... There are 22 open roles - you know what to do... PS: Yes, that's PG tweeting about Speak. #LanguageLearning #Startups #Innovation #TechNews #AI #MachineLearning #JoinUs #SpeakApp #LanguageAcquisition #ImmigrantStory #GlobalExpansion #Hiring

I am a big fan of HeyGen. I have been using it as a party trick at international conferences and in LinkedIn posts, where I use my avatar to deliver realistic videos that are perfectly lipsynched. I have learned that I have a Syrian accent when speaking Arabic, for example. The news that it is getting additional investment and has grown to US$20 million in revenue is promising. The tool is intuitive, and the output is good. The market is ready for this type of technology. The multilingual aspect is definitely a plus, foreshadowing the need for dubbing, especially in corporate training environments. The market is already crowded, with companies like Synthesia and Colossyan also catering to the text-to-video need. All the fancy tech, with lifelike avatars and programs that create voices and backgrounds, comes together to create something truly impressive when combined with GenAI and MT. Instead of looking at this as a threat, LSPs need to incorporate these solutions to their offerings, especially for those localizing e-learning and training content. This is an opportunity to extend your offering by learning how to take advantage of this technology. And companies like VOISEED and verbalate.ai need to up their game and find ways to be embedded in localization platforms. Eventually, this technology is just going to be another feature in the arsenal of comprehensive content platforms. https://lnkd.in/ggt35-cF

AI Startup Writer Inc. Raises $100M, Valued at Over $500M Writer., an AI startup that assists businesses in writing and summarizing a variety of content, has raised $100 million, valuing the company at over $500 million. The firm, led by CEO May Habib, uses large language models (LLMs) to generate human-like text. Its services are used by high-profile companies like L'Oréal, Spotify, and Uber for tasks such as creating product descriptions and social media posts. The funding round was led by ICONIQ Growth, with participation from other investors including Accenture and Vanguard. The funds will be used to enhance Writer’s AI models. #WriterInc #AIStartup #Funding #AIInnovation #AIWriting #LargeLanguageModels #TechNews #MayHabib #AIinBusiness #ArtificialIntelligence #TechInvestment #ContentGeneration #AIValuation

"Top The Walt Disney Company executives provide guidance and mentorship" You know who else provides guidance and mentorship? Women in Localization mentors, who come from the TOP localization companies or run their own successfull businesses. Want to know more? Take these two steps: 1. Become a member of Women in Localiztion (it's free). https://lnkd.in/gna63mE 2. Register as a mentee or a mentor (or both) https://lnkd.in/dcxaxm9g Fill in your profile and check your matches. The rest is intuitive... There are already over 100 mentors registered Mentoring platform powered by MentorEase