PlaySay launched a free Spanish/English iPhone app that combines gamification and social interaction to teach practical phrases through conversational use. The app organizes learning into turn-based "missions" that connect users with partners and provide pronunciation feedback from native speakers. PlaySay emphasizes practical usage over formal instruction and is designed for flexible, on-the-go play. The company evolved its platform over four years and already powers other apps for Japanese, French and Spanish. PlaySay has secured publisher partnerships—most notably a new licensing deal with HarperCollins and an existing agreement with McGraw-Hill—to supply premium content for paying users. Financially, the company announced an additional $250,000 in funding, bringing total backing to $820,000, with backers including Kevin Yu, Sean Glass and Novak Biddle Venture Partners. PlaySay is a Facebook app that uses images to represent the fundamental components of language learning, letting learners build or deconstruct Facebook status updates word-by-word and image-by-image. It leverages the social graph so users’ Facebook friends become classmates and uses check-ins, status updates, and pictures as course materials. The product is currently available only in Spanish, with plans to expand into every language through content partnerships, including a deal with McGraw Hill. Monetization plans include unlocking premium features via Facebook Credits, subscription options for deeper content, and product placement within the learning flow. Founder Ryan Meinzer developed the product over three years and launched it at TechCrunch Disrupt. The company has raised over $570K in funding and positions the app as a supplement to traditional language courses rather than a full structured curriculum.

Total raised

$1M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Equity

Latest activity

May 2012