• Tandem

  Participated · Equity · Jan 2017

  Tandem operates a language-exchange app that connects learners with native speakers for mutual practice via text, phone chat or video and provides optional tutor access. The product emphasizes community-driven native-speaker practice rather than lesson-led courses. Membership has grown from about 1 million in 2017 to more than 10 million users across 180 countries, with engagement on video chat tripling and new user signups up 200% during the COVID-19 period. The company reports it has been profitable since 2019 and that 94% of its user base uses the freemium offering while monetizing via a Tandem Pro subscription ($9.99/month). Its largest markets are China (10%), the U.S. (9%) and Japan (9%). Tandem plans to use the new funding to develop additional app features and expand marketing and engineering teams, growing headcount from 24 to about 50. Tandem is a mobile-first messaging community that matches native speakers and learners to practise languages via text, audio and video chat. The app supports 148 languages (including 11 sign languages) and 11,026 language pairs, and reports 1.2 million active users from 160 countries and 1.5 million downloads. The platform enforces moderated profiles and community rules to prioritize respectful, non-flirting language practice; 80% of users are aged 17–35 and 60% are female. Tandem has begun monetizing by offering paid lessons with vetted tutors (around 150 tutors listed) and currently takes a 20% cut of tutors' revenue. The company aims to grow its peer-to-peer community and teacher marketplace, add more structured learning journeys and mobile-first features for tutors to increase network effects and retention. Work on Tandem began in fall 2014 and the team emphasizes making the tutor experience frictionless so teachers can run their business entirely from a smartphone or tablet.

No current team members are available.