Jiliguala, the China-based operator of an online English language learning platform, closed a series C round yesterday featuring internet group Tencent and sized at almost $100m, DealStreetAsia reported.
Private equity firm Trustbridge Partners also participated in the round, which was facilitated by Lighthouse Capital according to a WeChat post cited by DealStreetAsia.
Jiliguala provides reading-based English courses aimed at users aged three to 12, utilising a range of tools including picture books, animation, songs and interactive video classes.
The company has a collaboration deal in place with publisher Penguin Random House to develop artificial intelligence-powered education products. It will allocate the series C proceeds to increasing the number of products it offers.
Venture capital firm ZhenFund invested an undisclosed amount in Jiliguala in 2014, two years before a pre-series A round of undisclosed size featuring education-focused VC fund Gene Capital and holding company Yongjin Group.
Trustbridge Partners and Bertelsmann Asia Investments (BAI), an investment vehicle for media group Bertelsmann, provided almost $10m in series A funding for the company in 2017, before joining Sequoia Capital China and Holy Capital in a series B round of undisclosed size the following year.
