Formerly known as TopSet, the startup has rebranded and introduced a new focus on helping learners master indigenous languages, beginning with Yoruba and Igbo.

To drive this transformation, Lingawa has raised $1.1 million in pre-seed funding.

The investment round was led by Zrosk, Voltron Capital, Weav Capital, Kaleo Ventures, MasterCard Foundation, and angel investors such as Guy Futi and Dolapo Adejuyigbe.

The funds will be used to develop an interactive app, expand the language offerings, and recruit top talent.

Founded in 2022 by Frank Williams, Yvonne Williams, and Uche Azinge, Lingawa originally aimed to improve academic performance for K-12 students.

However, scaling challenges and difficulty convincing parents to pay for the services prompted the team to reassess their approach.

In mid-2023, the startup experimented with teacher training, which revealed a widespread demand for learning African languages.

“I wanted to learn my language but was often discouraged when family and friends mocked my attempts,” Frank Williams, Lingawa’s CEO, shared. “This experience resonated with many others, not just in Africa but globally.”

The global language learning market is projected to hit $190 billion in five years, and Lingawa estimates a $45 billion addressable market in frontier language learning alone.

One of Lingawa’s key innovations is a five-level curriculum designed for native speakers who are trained to teach African languages.

This initiative addresses the scarcity of qualified tutors by equipping native speakers with the tools to become effective educators.

To support tutors, the company introduced a buy-now-pay-later scheme, enabling them to acquire teaching devices and repay in installments using earnings from the platform.

Lingawa’s business model is centered around a subscription service, bulk packages, and introductory lessons, catering primarily to the African diaspora.

The startup estimates that half of the 20 million Africans living abroad do not speak their native language, presenting a significant revenue opportunity.