REDWOOD CITY, Calif. and MUMBAI, India, (March 22, 2012) — Omidyar Network announced today it has invested in EnglishHelper. The company provides innovative products that address the English-language learning and training needs of educational and skill-building institutions, as well as corporates in India. Omidyar Network will hold an equity stake in the company, and Mallika Singh of Omidyar Network will take a seat on the board of directors. Additional terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Learning a language is a function of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Most students learning English as a second language struggle with reading because they don’t have the opportunity to practice speaking or listen to English being spoken. EnglishHelper’s software, ReadToMe, enables reading with comprehension through a multi-sensory approach. The software provides a feature-rich reading and comprehension solution that includes the ability to pause while reading, look up unfamiliar words in the built-in dictionary, access a pronunciation guide and the ability to verbalize any type of content – from websites to textbooks. The company has also integrated vernacular aids to cater to early learners in various regions.
“EnglishHelper has developed an innovative, scalable and cost-efficient technology that addresses a multi-billion dollar global market for English language training,” commented Singh. “Inadequate English speaking skills hinders the aspirations of millions of people to access quality jobs. We believe EnglishHelper will address this crucial gap in the market.”
EnglishHelper’s products enable learning at the pace of the student and are used by K-12 and higher education students, as well as by corporations seeking to improve employee English-language proficiency. EnglishHelper products have helped nearly 10,000 learners across the country.
"We are excited about Omidyar Network’s support. It was important to us to bring on an investor who would not just match, but add to the ethos of EnglishHelper,” said Sanjay Gupta, CEO Global, EnglishHelper. “We are committed to providing unique, adaptive and affordable learning solutions that make a difference in the lives of millions. This investment will help us begin a new and very exciting chapter." For more information on EnglishHelper, visit http://www.englishhelper.com.