Most language apps will teach you to say “the cat drinks milk.” But when it comes time to order a coffee in Paris or hold an actual conversation, many learners freeze. Sylvi, a UK-based edtech startup, wants to change that.
The idea was born out of frustration. When Sylvi’s founder, Tom Standen, took a trip to Paris with his girlfriend Amy Cameron, he expected her to handle the French. After all, she had a 600-day streak on Duolingo. Yet at the café counter, she couldn’t even order a coffee.
Sam Brown, who joined Standen early to lead product and growth, recalls the moment. “Tom assumed Amy would do all the talking. But she froze. That’s when it hit him — language apps weren’t preparing people for real conversations. Unless you’re an academic, speaking is the goal. So, being a good boyfriend and an AI enthusiast, he built a tool for Amy to practise her French using conversational AI. It completely changed the game for her.”
Brown added that once friends started trying it, including herself after living in Spain, Tom realised the wider potential. “Everyone said the same thing: Duolingo is fun but doesn’t help you converse. That’s when he quit his job at McKinsey and built the technology from scratch.”
Speaking first, learning by doing
Sylvi turns the conventional model on its head. Rather than starting with memorisation or grammar rules, learners begin by speaking. The app delivers natural, real-time conversations with AI or other users, complete with live corrections, context, and feedback.
As Brown explains, “People don’t become fluent by drilling vocabulary. They become fluent by using it. Sylvi helps learners build confidence by engaging in real conversations, not just rehearsing isolated phrases.”
The platform pairs conversational practice with powerful support features. Learners receive AI-powered corrections and translations, while real conversations with friends, family, or fellow learners make language acquisition social, intuitive, and fun. Recently, the company launched personalised lesson plans tailored to each user’s language, goals, and interests, placing Sylvi at the forefront of the personalised education movement.
Unlike many competitors, Sylvi’s business model focuses on real-world results, not just time-on-app. “We’re not optimising for engagement metrics or streaks. We’re optimising for confidence. The goal isn’t just to keep people using the app — it’s to get them actually speaking,” says Brown.
Backing from angel investors who know the space
That focus on real outcomes helped Sylvi secure a £350,000 super angel funding round this month. The round was led by Claire Nooriala (former VP at Snap), Amir Nooriala (former COO at OakNorth Bank), and Simon Murdoch (Managing Partner at Episode 1 Ventures, and early investor in Shazam and Zoopla). Solo Investments, the family office of LADbible founder Solly Solomou, also participated, bringing Sylvi’s total funding to £384,000, as Brown exclusively told TFN.
For Claire Nooriala, founding partner at Haylo Ventures and former VP of International at Snap, the investment was a no-brainer. “We back early-stage companies solving meaningful problems with the potential to reshape their category. Sylvi stands out for its mission to build genuine conversation confidence in language learning – a space long dominated by shallow engagement metrics. Tom is a standout founder who built the business with disciplined unit economics from day one. With strong LTV-to-CAC and growing ARR, Sylvi is combining purpose with performance. We (ClaireandAmir.com) are excited to support their journey and are delighted to lead this round.”
Simon Murdoch, Managing Partner of VC firm Episode 1 Ventures, who previously founded FriendsAbroad (later acquired by Babbel), sees Sylvi as the logical next step in digital language education. “I’ve seen both the potential and the pitfalls in language learning technology, having built and sold FriendsAbroad to Babbel. People learn by practising conversation, not memorising words, and Sylvi’s approach addresses this fundamental challenge I observed in traditional language apps. Tom and his team have built something that truly bridges the gap between study and real-world conversation confidence – exactly the kind of innovation the language learning space needs.”
Sarah Yates, Head of Family Office at Solo Investments, says, “Sylvi is helping people become conversationally fluent, and they can build a tribe with their members, not just a user base.”
Building WhatsApp for language learners
Behind Sylvi is a strong belief that conversation is the most effective learning tool — and that the best way to overcome the common barriers to practising is to design around them.
Brown explains, “A lot of people are self-conscious about making mistakes, so we correct messages before they’re even sent. That means learners can try, fail, and improve without judgment. Others say they don’t have someone to practice with, but Sylvi connects them to fellow learners or AI penpals who are always available. Time and cost are also concerns, so the platform is accessible 24/7 for a fraction of what a tutor would cost annually.”
Text or voice messages are enhanced with real-time AI corrections, explanations, and, when needed, cross-language translation. Brown says this technology allows people to practice together even if they’re learning different languages or are at various levels. “It’s a powerful equaliser,” she adds.
The app includes an AI tutor who answers questions on demand (“How do I conjugate ser in the preterite tense?”), conversational lessons based on personal interests, a chat function for talking with friends or other learners, discussion-based news reading, and a flashcard system that uses spaced repetition to reinforce vocabulary picked up during chats.
“We’ve built Sylvi as the chat function for talking with friends or other learners. It’s conversational, accessible, and social, because learning a language should be as natural as speaking one,” says Brown.
Results, revenue, and what’s next for Sylvi
Since launching paid subscriptions in the second half of 2024, Sylvi has achieved more than £60,000 in annual recurring revenue. The app holds a 4.7/5 rating on the App Store and boasts strong unit economics, with customer lifetime value exceeding acquisition costs.
The startup has also begun piloting an educational program with a school in southern England and plans to expand into the education sector once the model is refined.
Looking ahead, Brown says the roadmap includes scaling the user base in core markets like the UK and US, rolling out support for more languages, starting with English, and forging partnerships with travel brands, language exchange events, and other complementary services.
“The opportunity is huge,” she says. “The global language learning market is worth $60 billion and growing at 20% annually. That’s what our AI tutor unlocks — true, personalised education at scale.”
For context, other established players like Busuu (acquired by Chegg for $436 million in 2021) and Babbel have already validated the market for conversation-focused learning. Still, Sylvi’s AI-powered approach represents the next step.
If past language apps trained millions to tap, match, and repeat, Sylvi is betting the next wave will belong to those who can actually speak.
