Jump to content

Verbling

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Verbling
Type of site
Subsidiary
Available in
Multilingual
  • Albanian
  • Arabic
  • Bengali
  • Bulgarian
  • Croatian
  • Czech
  • Danish
  • Dutch
  • English (American English)
  • Finnish
  • French (European French)
  • Gaelic
  • German
  • Greek
  • Hebrew
  • Hindi
  • Indonesian
  • Italian
  • Japanese
  • Korean
  • Latin
  • Latvian
  • Mandarin
  • Norwegian
  • Persian
  • Polish
  • Portuguese
  • Punjabi
  • Romanian
  • Russian
  • Serbian
  • Spanish
  • Swahili
  • Swedish
  • Thai
  • Turkish
  • Urdu
  • Vietnamese
HeadquartersSan Francisco,
US
OwnerChegg
Founder(s)Mikael Bernstein
Jake Jolis
Gustav Rydstedt
IndustryOnline education
Translation
ServicesLanguage education
URLwww.verbling.com
LaunchedJuly 8, 2011; 13 years ago (2011-07-08)
Current statusOnline

Verbling, a service of Chegg, is an online language learning platform that pairs individuals with language teachers via videotelephony. It also operates an enterprise version to aide employees in communicating with colleagues that speak other languages.

History

[edit]

Verbling was founded in 2011 by Jake Jolis, Mikael Bernstein, and Gustav Rydstedt, who met while attending Stanford University.[1][2][3] The company's initial platform, Verbling Friends, connected users interested in learning each other's language to each other via videotelephony.[4][5] Verbling was financed by Y Combinator in the summer of 2011.[6]

It launched in July 2011.[7]

In 2012, the company raised $1 million in funding and moved its headquarters from Palo Alto to San Francisco, California.[4][8]

In November 2012, the company added nine new languages and Google Hangouts-powered chats.[9]

In April 2013, it launched Verbling courses whereby students follow a set curriculum after taking a language assessment test.[10]

In November 2013, it added private study groups.[11]

In December 2013, Verbling launched Verbling Classes, a teaching platform, later discontinued in favor of private lessons. The classes were also live streamed so other users could watch the class without directly interacting with the lesson.[12]

In 2015, Verbling raised $2.7 million in series A round funding to expand its technology to more platforms. Investors included Draper Fisher Jurvetson, SV Angel, Sam Altman, and Joshua Schachter.[13]

In January 2016, the company offered free lessons in Swedish to Syrian refugees displaced by the Syrian Civil War.[14]

In October 2016, it launched an enterprise version to aide employees in communicating with colleagues that speak other languages and signed Volkswagen Group and Zara as users.[15][6][16][17]

In February 2017, Verbling launched Android and iOS mobile apps. The platform had 2000 teachers, offering classes in 43 languages, that year.[18]

In January 2020, Verbling was acquired by Busuu for "double-digit millions".[19][20] Busuu was acquired by Chegg in 2021.[21]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ O'Dell, J. (September 7, 2011). "Verbling is like a Chatroulette for learning languages". VentureBeat.
  2. ^ Kederstedt, Daniel (25 January 2013). "Intresset dalar för Silicon Valley" [Interest in Silicon Valley is falling]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish).
  3. ^ Carlin, John (26 July 2011). "Trueque de lenguas" [Exchange of languages]. El País (in Spanish).
  4. ^ a b Pan, Joann (February 1, 2012). "New Website Connects Language Newbies With Native Speakers". Mashable.
  5. ^ May, Kevin (July 12, 2011). "Verbling Wants To Be a Next-Generation Language Learning Service". Phocuswire.
  6. ^ a b Weber, Harrison (October 20, 2016). "Y Combinator-backed language learning startup Verbling is going enterprise". VentureBeat.
  7. ^ Rao, Leena (July 8, 2011). "Verbling Links Up Language Learners With Native Speakers Through Live Video Chat". TechCrunch.
  8. ^ Rao, Leena (January 26, 2012). "Verbling Raises $1M To Link Up Language Learners Through Video Chat". TechCrunch.
  9. ^ Empson, Rip (November 30, 2012). "Language Learning Service Verbling Launches Google Hangouts-Powered Classes, Adds Support For 9 New Languages". TechCrunch.
  10. ^ Grant, Rebecca (April 19, 2013). "Verbling brings immersive language learning into your living room (exclusive)". VentureBeat.
  11. ^ Empson, Rip (November 20, 2013). "Verbling Launches Live Study Groups And One-On-One Tutoring Service, As Its Spin On Language Learning Begins To Catch On". TechCrunch.
  12. ^ Grant, Rebecca (April 19, 2013). "Verbling Brings Immersive Language Learning Into Your Living Room". VentureBeat.
  13. ^ Nanclares, Sindy (July 21, 2015). "YC-Backed Verbling Teaches Its Way to $2.7 Million". VentureBeat.
  14. ^ Jolis, Jake (January 3, 2016). "Our Response to the Refugee Crisis, and Tarek Alhamad's Story" – via LinkedIn.
  15. ^ "Verbling Launches Enterprise Service, Signs Deals With Volkswagen Group and Inditex" (Press release). PR Newswire. October 20, 2016.
  16. ^ Vigliarolo, Brandon (October 20, 2016). "Language Learning Platform Verbling Announces New Enterprise-Centered System". TechRepublic.
  17. ^ Taylor, Tess (October 25, 2016). "Verbling introduces new multi-language learning platform". Industry Dive.
  18. ^ Lomas, Natasha (February 16, 2017). "Verbling adds native apps to expand access to its marketplace of language tutors". TechCrunch.
  19. ^ "Language App Busuu Acquires Live Video Tutoring Company Verbling" (Press release). PR Newswire. January 23, 2020.
  20. ^ Butcher, Mike (January 22, 2020). "Language platform Busuu acquires video tutor startup, now plans IPO". TechCrunch.
  21. ^ Butcher, Mike (November 29, 2021). "Student media giant Chegg acquires language learning startup Busuu for $436M". TechCrunch.
Retrieved from "https://wiki.riteme.site/w/index.php?title=Verbling&oldid=1262378658"