Given the short timeline, the one month will fly by! We expect you to attend one webinar every week and at least one 1:1 with the Paralect team. This allows not only us to get to know you as a founder but also for you to get to know us as a potential partner!
01
Build in Public
03
Build in Public
02
Commitment
Why is it important?
Given the short timeline, the one month will fly by! We expect you to attend one webinar every week and at least one 1:1 with the Paralect team. This allows not only us to get to know you as a founder but also for you to get to know us as a potential partner!
Lingoers
James Hutchinson
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Lingoers
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United Kingdom
B2C
Product Overview
Venture Partner @ Paralect
We make it easier and more fun to practice languages, by connecting people with native speakers via the use of video calls and gamification.
EdTech
James has had an itching problem for a couple of years now and is now committing to make a strong attempt at building a great business. A really enjoyable character with a background in software product management gives us confidence that he will be a strong founder to work with in the long term! The language learning market is going to hit close to $200bn in the next 5 years with a CAGR of 18.3% which represents massive opportunity!
Chris Fernandes
Founder
LIVE
Why we chose Lingoers
Startup traction
Will be updated on Feb 27, 2023.
However, I feel extremely passionate about this problem, because I experience it myself almost on a daily basis. My girlfriend is Italian (and I'm trying to learn Italian to speak with her family who live in Italy). I also have Spanish friends who I'm keeping in touch with, so it's a struggle for me to maintain both languages. Bottom line, if there's data to suggest a change in the solution or a pivot, I'm ok with that. If it solves the problem. I'm happy to build in public. If anything, it will help a passionate and committed user panel to grow if they believe in the problem you're trying to solve. I don't believe it's possible to build a great tech startup in the dark anymore.
There's many language learning apps and websites available. However, if there's so many already available, why isn't everyone fluent in multiple different languages?
I believe the reason why people want to learn and practice languages is because they want to have conversations with people in real life, in that language. They want to be able to integrate into a different culture and ultimately make friends. However, having conversations in real life requires speech and the ability to listen and understand.
Language apps currently miss this. From experience, using apps including Memrise, Hellotalk, Tandem, Duolingo (to name just a few) they focus on texting. They focus on writing text messages to the other person (which can include voice notes) but they don't focus on real-time conversations.
These apps are great for learning new words and phrases and 'very clearly spoken phrases' in another language, but they're not ideal for preparing you for conversations with native speakers, where you'd have to understand what was said, think about it and generate a response in an accent that they can understand.
I believe the reason why people want to learn and practice languages is because they want to have conversations with people in real life, in that language. They want to be able to integrate into a different culture and ultimately make friends. However, having conversations in real life requires speech and the ability to listen and understand.
Language apps currently miss this. From experience, using apps including Memrise, Hellotalk, Tandem, Duolingo (to name just a few) they focus on texting. They focus on writing text messages to the other person (which can include voice notes) but they don't focus on real-time conversations.
These apps are great for learning new words and phrases and 'very clearly spoken phrases' in another language, but they're not ideal for preparing you for conversations with native speakers, where you'd have to understand what was said, think about it and generate a response in an accent that they can understand.
What we expect from you during the program
B2C
Language learners who already have a basic level of another language. People who already have several language apps installed on their phone.
Target audience
It's really difficult to practice another language. In schools, you're taught about phrases and words that are not often used in real life. It seems that the best way to learn or practice another language is to actually live in the country where it's spoken. This is easier said than done, when your life isn't in that country - you'd have to relocate, which isn't always practical.
Problem
I'm a product manager, so I have experience with starting and building tech startups. I've worked for Nova, who specialise in the Lean Startup ways of building, in the most lean and agile way possible. I'm not protective over my idea. Ideas are everywhere and I understand they can be copied.
Why are you the right founders?
Some kind of traction. Users who are keen to get onboard with the idea. It would be great to have an MVP to run experiments on and having something that actually works.
Goal for the Bootcamp
Biggest challenge
Building the right MVP. It's a problem that I'm not sure how the MVP would look like. I'm all for creating something scrappy and lean, but I'm having a hard time thinking about what the first testable version of the solution could look like, without it being too complex. This is why I decided to apply for this bootcamp, to see if I can get help with this.
Apply to the Next Batch
Apply now
The application will be opened on March 1, 2023.
