Preply has raised $150 million in a Series D funding round led by WestCap, valuing the company at $1.2 billion in the global language learning market and marking its transition into unicorn territory.
The round, in which Goldman Sachs International acted as sole placement agent, will be used to accelerate product development, expand Preply’s AI and data capabilities and drive international growth as the company seeks to reshape education through personalized, tutor-led learning powered by artificial intelligence.
Founded as an online language tutoring marketplace, Preply now connects more than 100,000 tutors with learners in 180 countries and offers one-on-one lessons in more than 90 languages. Its model combines human teaching with an AI-powered tutoring co-pilot designed to track progress, generate insights, and automate administrative tasks, allowing tutors to focus on teaching and learners to progress faster.
The funding comes amid strong growth in global demand for language learning. According to HolonIQ, around 1.8 billion people worldwide are currently working on mastering a second language. The global direct-to-consumer language learning market is expected to reach $227 billion by 2035, having tripled in the last five years.
Since its Series C round, Preply has more than tripled the number of tutors available on its platform and expanded its offering to include more than 40 new languages. Last year, the company further improved profitability and achieved positive EBITDA.
In addition to WestCap, the round was supported by existing investors including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Horizon Capital. The WestCap team, which has previously supported and scaled global marketplaces such as Airbnb and StubHub, will work closely with Preply as it enters its next phase of growth.
Kirill Bigai, co-founder and CEO of Preply, said the investment underscores the company’s belief that the future of education lies at the intersection of human connection and AI.
“We feel very fortunate and deeply responsible for shaping the way people will learn in the future,” Bigai said. “We are connecting learners with the world’s best tutors, empowered by AI, bringing learning efficiency to unprecedented levels. This partnership will help us continue to innovate and create opportunities for people around the world to make progress in their lives.”
Preply said it will use the fresh capital to expand its product and development teams, deepen its AI-driven personalization and accelerate global expansion to reach more learners and tutors. The company is positioning itself against fully automated learning platforms by doubling down on human-led instruction and using AI as an enabler rather than a replacement.
Research published in Preply’s 2025 Efficiency Study, conducted with LeanLab Education, found that 96 percent of learners believe real conversations with human tutors are essential to their progress, while 97 percent said such interactions are key to building self-confidence. The study also found that learners using Preply progressed up to three times faster compared to average benchmarks, with one in three reaching the full CEFR level within 12 weeks.
Allen Mask, a partner at WestCap and a former Airbnb executive who will join Preply’s board, said the platform sets a new benchmark for personalized education at scale.
“Learners thrive when true human instruction is supported by technology,” he said. “Preply has the market-leading product, experienced leadership and vision to shape the way people communicate around the world.”
The Series D brings Preply’s total funding to date to approximately $299 million, increasing investor confidence in its growth trajectory. With a growing global footprint and a focus on measurable learning outcomes, the company says it is well positioned to cement its role as a leader in human-led, AI-powered education.
