Learning marketplace Preply raises $150 million to fuel global AI push

Preply has raised $150 million in a Series D funding round led by WestCap, valuing the language learning marketplace at $1.2 billion.

The company runs an online platform that matches learners with tutors for one-to-one lessons. Preply said it connects more than 100,000 tutors with learners in 180 countries and offers lessons in more than 90 languages.

Goldman Sachs International acted as sole placement agent in the transaction. Preply also named The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Horizon Capital among the investors in the round.

The funding takes Preply's total capital raised to about $299 million.

Market demand

Preply cited market research from HolonIQ that puts the number of people seeking second-language proficiency at 1.8 billion worldwide, or about one in four people. The company also pointed to forecasts that the direct-to-consumer language learning market could reach $227 billion by 2035.

Online language learning has become a crowded market, with consumer apps and tutor marketplaces competing alongside corporate training platforms. The sector has also seen rising interest in generative AI tools for study support, lesson planning and conversation practice.

Preply positions its product around human tutoring with software tools layered on top. The company described an "AI-supported tutoring co-pilot suite" that it said can track progress, generate insights and automate administrative work.

Expansion plans

Preply said it has expanded the number of tutors available on the platform since its Series C round and added more than 40 languages. It also said it improved EBITDA over the past year and became EBITDA positive.

The company set out several priorities for the new capital. It said it plans to advance its AI and data work. It also plans to expand product and engineering headcount and pursue global growth across its learner and tutor base.

WestCap said one of its partners will join Preply's board. The investor has previously backed marketplace and fintech businesses including Airbnb, StubHub and Klarna, among others.

Preply also highlighted research work tied to its platform. It said its "2025 Efficiency Study", conducted with LeanLab Education, found that 96% of learners consider learning with a human tutor and real conversations essential to progress, and 97% said these interactions were key to confidence.

The same study found learners progressed up to three times faster when compared to average benchmarks, according to Preply. It also said one in three learners moved up a full CEFR level in 12 weeks.

"We feel extremely fortunate and deeply responsible for shaping how people will learn in the future," said Kirill Bigai, Co-Founder and CEO, Preply.

Bigai said, "Today, we connect people with the world's best tutors, amplified by AI, bringing learning efficiency to a level that was previously unreachable. We are happy to partner with the WestCap team, who has deep expertise in helping founders to build legendary world-changing brands.

"This investment will help us to continue to innovate at the intersection of human tutoring and AI, creating opportunities everywhere for people to connect, belong, succeed, and ultimately to progress in their lives no matter where they are in the world."

Preply said it expects AI to play a larger role in how learners and tutors work on the platform. It framed the approach as technology that sits alongside tutors rather than replacing them.

WestCap Partner Allen Mask will join the board, according to the company.

"Preply is setting a new standard for personalized education at scale, and the opportunities are virtually limitless. Data shows that learners thrive when real human instruction is supported by technology, and in today's increasingly connected world, there is a real demand for democratizing access to high-quality learning in a modern and effective way. Preply has the market-leading product, the experienced leadership team, and the vision to shape how people communicate globally," he said.

The company states it will use the fresh funding to expand teams and develop more AI-related features as it competes for learners and tutors across a global online tutoring market.