Fundraising Fox

Lingoace

Singapore, SG Β· Founded 2017 Β· 786 employees on LinkedIn Β· 6 known investors

LingoAce offers online language and math classes for young learners, connecting them with globally selected teachers through a research-based curriculum. The platform focuses on Chinese and English language education alongside Singapore Math, targeting families raising globally minded children across Asia, North America, and Europe.

Also known as LingoAce Β· PPLINGO Pte Ltd

Founders & leadership

Lingoace was founded in 2017 by Hugh Yao and ιƒ­η’‡.

HYHugh Yao
Hugh YaoinFounder & CEO
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ιƒ­η’‡inFounder

Investors Β· 6

Also in the syndicate Β· 2

Sequoia Capital IndialeadTiger Globallead

Company profile

researched Aug 2026

LingoAce, operated by PPLINGO Pte Ltd, is a Singapore-headquartered online education company that delivers live, teacher-led classes to children in Chinese (Mandarin), English and mathematics. Its Chinese program serves ages 3-15 with a curriculum aligned to HSK, AP Chinese and other language standards; the English program targets ages 4-11 with TEFL-certified British and American teachers and CEFR-aligned material; the Math program covers ages 5-15 using the Singapore Math method, aligned to US Common Core standards and taught in small groups capped at six students. Classes are offered one-on-one or in small groups and are supported by interactive courseware, games, picture books and homework review.

The curriculum is developed in-house by curriculum specialists with input drawn from education authorities in China and Singapore and external review by education specialists at Chinese universities, and the company describes a Stanford Ph.D.-led team behind its research-based, play-based design. Teaching is organized by age band, with younger learners taught largely through animation and interactive games and older learners moving to more academic content. The company operates from Singapore with teams and offices in the United States, Europe, China (Beijing, Wuhan, Chengdu) and Southeast Asia (Thailand, Indonesia), and has extended beyond purely online delivery through a physical blended-learning center in Singapore and an Ace Academy learning center in the U.S. Bay Area.

Compiled by commissioned research from 6 cited public sources β€” announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.

Key figures

latest reported
Certified teachersJan 20255,000 teachers
Classes taughtJan 20212,200,000 classes
Countries and regions servedJan 2025180
Countries served (app listing)Jan 2025110
HeadcountAug 2026786
IOS App Store ratingJan 20253.9 stars (776 ratings)
Lessons taught (cumulative)Jan 202422,000,000 lessons
Live classes delivered (cumulative)Jan 202520,000,000 classes
Share of users from US and CanadaJan 202150%
StudentsJan 2021100,000 students
TeachersJan 20257,000 teachers

Company-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed β€” not independently audited.

Competitors Β· 1

by search overlap

Companies competing with Lingoace for the same Google search keywords, organic and paid, via search-intersection analysis.

Timeline Β· 13

launches, deals, and filings
Jan 2024
First Ace Academy learning center opens in the U.S. Bay Area

source β†—

Jan 2023
Fast Company World's Most Innovative Companies 2023

Recognized in Fast Company's 2023 list of the World's Most Innovative Companies, ranking 5th in the Asia-Pacific category.

source β†—

Jan 2023
Top 10 Foreign-Funded Enterprises in Guanggu

Awarded by the Wuhan East Lake High-Tech Development Zone.

source β†—

Jan 2023
Launches math and additional courses

source β†—

Oct 2022
Reported to be seeking about $200M at a roughly $1B valuation

Bloomberg reported that LingoAce was seeking to raise about $200 million in a funding round that could value the company at around $1 billion, working with an adviser and in talks with prospective investors.

$200M source β†—

Jan 2022
Named to GSV EdTech 150

Listed by GSV EdTech 150 as one of the most transformational growth companies in digital learning; also named in 2023.

source β†—

Jan 2021
Opens offices in Chengdu, China and the San Francisco Bay Area

source β†—

Jan 2021
Partnership with Peking University Press

Partnered with Peking University Press to provide teacher training and educational resources.

source β†—

Jan 2020
Opens Thailand and Indonesia offices and a physical center in Singapore

Expanded into Thailand and Indonesia and opened a physical center in Singapore for its Blended Learning Program; the Series A extension funding supported expansion into Indonesia and Thailand.

source β†—

Jan 2019
Wins Singapore SME100's Moving Companies Award

source β†—

Jan 2019
Opens Wuhan Education Research Centre in China

source β†—

Jan 2018
Opens China office in Beijing

source β†—

Jan 2017
Chinese Live Advanced Program launches as first product

source β†—

Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.

In the news

β–ΈResearch sources Β· 6

primary sources listed

6 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.

Frequently asked questions

What does Lingoace do?
Singapore-based edtech running live online Chinese, English and Singapore Math classes for K-12 learners worldwide.
Who founded Lingoace?
Lingoace was founded by Hugh Yao, ιƒ­η’‡ in 2017.
Who are Lingoace's investors?
Lingoace's investors include K3 Ventures, Owl Ventures, Peak XV Partners, Decent Capital.
Where is Lingoace headquartered?
Lingoace is headquartered in Singapore, SG.