Kings Learning (enguru Spoken English App)

Kings Learning, operating under the brand name enguru, is an edtech company established in 2014 with a focus on enhancing employability for India's youth through English language and communication skills training. The parent company, Kings Learning Private Limited, was founded in Bengaluru by Arshan Vakil and Tahem Veer Verma, who were roommates at the University of Pennsylvania. Vakil, serving as CEO, drew inspiration from his experience as a product manager and his work with a mentorship initiative, where he identified a significant gap in affordable, high-quality English training. This led to the creation of enguru, aiming to prevent language skills from being a barrier to career opportunities. In August 2022, the platform was acquired by Open English, a prominent English-learning platform in Latin America and the U.S. Hispanic market, to expand into the Indian market.

The company's primary offering is the 'enguru Spoken English App,' a mobile-first platform that provides self-paced learning modules. The app utilizes gamified lessons and AI-powered simulated conversations to teach functional, industry-specific English. It supports learning from 28 different languages, making it accessible to a wide demographic. A significant milestone was becoming the only education app available on the JioPhone, which dramatically increased its user base to over 22 million on that device alone. The business model operates on a dual-revenue stream. The B2C model monetizes through premium subscriptions for live classes and certifications. These live classes connect students with Cambridge-qualified teachers in online group or one-on-one settings. The B2B segment, which historically accounts for the majority of revenue, provides tailored English and communication skills programs for corporate clients through a separate 'enguru for enterprises' application. This corporate version includes a dashboard for progress tracking and customized content for organizations like Trent, Godrej Nature's Basket, and The Oberoi Group.

Kings Learning has successfully raised a total of $5.9M over five funding rounds. Its first round was in January 2016, with a notable Series A round in March 2021 raising $1.62M, led by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and Edge. Other key investors include Village Capital, Potencia Ventures, and Bisk Ventures. Achievements include winning Village Capital's Education Cohort in 2016, being selected for Reliance Jio's GenNext Winter 2016 Cohort, and being part of Google Play App Excellence's Class of 2019. Co-founder Arshan Vakil was also recognized in Forbes Asia's 30 Under 30 list in 2018 for his work in consumer technology.

Keywords: English learning, edtech, language training, mobile learning, employability skills, communication skills, spoken English app, corporate training, language education, AI-powered learning, gamified learning, live online classes, B2B edtech, B2C edtech, Arshan Vakil, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, JioPhone app, English for retail, English for hospitality, Cambridge certified teachers, upskilling, professional development, language certification, Indian education market, virtual tutoring