UK-based language learning platform Busuu raised €6m ($6.5m) in series B funding from educational publisher McGraw-Hill Education on Wednesday.
Founded in 2008, Busuu operates a social media platform for language learners that boasts more than 55 million users. Its offering includes free and premium courses for 12 languages and enables learners to communicate with native speakers.
McGraw-Hill’s adaptive learning technology will be added to Busuu’s product in conjunction with the investment. McGraw-Hill has also gained exclusive global rights to distribute Busuu’s platform to schools, private language centres and corporations.
In 2013, Busuu won a €4m prize at a pitch day organised by media company ProSiebenSat.1’s corporate venturing subsidiary, SevenVentures.
Busuu previously secured €3.5m in series A funding provided by ProFounders Capital and unnamed private investors. The company closed an angel round backed by Martin Varsavsky and Johann Hansmann in 2011 which, according to TechCrunch, was sized at less than €1m.
Bernhard Niesner, chief executive of Busuu, said: “For Busuu, this alliance allows us to quickly grow our market penetration with a trusted name such as McGraw-Hill Education.
“We are especially excited to explore adding McGraw-Hill Education’s adaptive capabilities to our platform and believe this will revolutionize the way people learn languages.”