Voxy, a US-based platform and app which provides personalised, context-based teaching of English as a foreign language, has raised $8.5m series B round of funding led by Pearson , a UK-based education and publishing company, and Rethink Education, an investment fund focused on education technology.
Previously, Voxy raised $4m in its series A second tranche in March 2012, $2.8m in its series A first tranche in July 2011, and $1.2m in its angel and seed investments in 2010.
Pearson is taking a seat on Voxy’s board and Rick Segal, managing partner of Rethink Education will become chairman.
As part of a strategic partnership, Pearson will incorporate Voxy’s products and technology into the suite of services it offers to learners.
Bhavneet Singh, president of Pearson English and Informal Learning, said: “Our partnership is another important step in Pearson’s drive to offer learners more direct, digital learning tools. It’s our aim to help people learn English anytime, anywhere, across any device with tools that are personalised to their needs, easy to navigate and with the tracking and testing they’re looking for to provide instant feedback and demonstrable results. Voxy’s cutting edge technology is a great complement to our existing offering to English learners right across our businesses which include Wall Street English and GlobalEnglish.”