Bootstrapping an EdTech Startup with a Paycheck to over $5M: Karyn Koven, CEO of LanguageBird (Part 5)

Sramana Mitra: What kind of numbers are we talking about as we go beyond 2015? How many numbers of students, how many instructors, how was the business unfolding?

Karyn Koven: By the time we hit the pandemic in 2020, we were actually placed in a very good, lucky position. As students stopped going to the classroom, families were looking for more viable solutions.

Sramana Mitra: Online learning became very popular.

Karyn Koven: Correct. In February 2020, we were still explaining to parents what video chat was, but one month later, it became ubiquitous. Now, people use it all the time and understand how it works in their own work, etc. That was definitely a barrier in terms of trust.

In education, especially outside of adult learning, people used to see online education for K–12 students as a one-off—something for students who couldn’t attend traditional school, not a viable way to actually learn. That perception changed during the pandemic. Untrained teachers were suddenly forced into online teaching, which is very different from teaching in a physical classroom.

At that point, families began to see that this was actually how their students learned better. They wouldn’t have known this without that experience. All in all, we saw significant growth during that time and, of course, more trust in online learning as a medium.

At any given time, we have open enrollment, so students can start and end on their own schedule. Currently, we have around 2,000 students learning with us and about 200 teachers.

We also have a “school within a school,” where we train teachers within our program to ensure they are of high quality. They’re not just people who say, “I know the language, so I can teach it,” like an Uber model. These are trained instructors and professionals.

Sramana Mitra: Are they overseas?

Karyn Koven: Many are in the U.S., but it’s about half and half. It’s a great experience for students to interact with teachers overseas. It expands their worldview. When they hear their teacher is in Argentina, Spain, France, or Ireland, it helps them step outside of themselves. Teenagers can be self-centered, so this opens them up to different cultures and perspectives.

We emphasize culture and the ability to speak comfortably with native speakers. Our philosophy centers on project-based learning—students choose topics meaningful to them, and we build instruction around those topics. Every course is individualized and customized, while still meeting academic standards.

There are no exams. Students complete meaningful end projects instead. Families appreciate the customization and flexibility.

Sramana Mitra: What role does technology play? AI is changing curriculum development and personalized tutoring. How much of that are you using?

Karyn Koven: That’s an interesting question because our model is so relationship-based. We use technology like lesson recording and note-taking so students can review content later, but the human connection is still central.

Sramana Mitra: So are you using Zoom as your main platform?

Karyn Koven: We use Microsoft Teams for Education, which includes recording and note-taking.

Sramana Mitra: Are you using AI in curriculum development? For example, if a student wants to learn through the context of baseball, is there a baseball curriculum?

Karyn Koven: Yes. AI helps instructors create personalized curriculums faster. If a student is interested in baseball, AI can help the teacher build a course around that while still aligning with learning standards. This means not everyone gets the same homework or worksheet—everything is tailored.

AI also supports teachers in evaluating students more efficiently, saving them time on grading, planning, and giving feedback. Instructors do a lot beyond classroom hours, so AI helps reduce that workload while maintaining quality.

Sramana Mitra: Is each instructor doing this individually, or have you built AI into your training and systems?

Karyn Koven: Absolutely. Over the past year, we’ve been developing our own platform that integrates all these AI and tech features. It includes scheduling, curriculum customization, evaluation tools, and more. The goal is to bring everything into one platform for a seamless experience.

This segment is part 5 in the series : Bootstrapping an EdTech Startup with a Paycheck to over $5M: Karyn Koven, CEO of LanguageBird
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