{{Short description|Language learning software}} {{Use American English|date = January 2019}} {{Use mdy dates|date = January 2019}} {{Infobox website | name = Lingvist | logo = Lingvist logo.svg | logo_size = 350px | url = {{URL|lingvist.com/}} | type = E-learning | language = {{collapsible list| * English * Estonian * French * German * Russian }} | launch_date = 2014 | current_status = Beta | location = Tallinn, Estonia }}
'''Lingvist''' is an adaptive language-learning platform, available in an international public free beta version since 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lingvist.io|title=Lingvist.io}}</ref>
{{As of|2022|05}}, Lingvist offers introductory English, Spanish, French, German, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, Dutch, Italian and Estonian courses, available in various languages.<ref>{{cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Lingvist.io Available Languages|url=https://lingvist.com/blog/spring-into-action-with-new-languages-available-on-lingvist/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201003134103/https://lingvist.com/blog/spring-into-action-with-new-languages-available-on-lingvist/|archive-date=October 3, 2020|access-date=|website=}}</ref>
==Education model== Lingvist's software analyses various text sources, such as subtitles or articles to determine the frequency of words in a given language.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arcticstartup.com/2014/03/31/what-can-you-accomplish-in-roughly-200-hours|title=What can you accomplish in roughly 200 hours?|publisher=Arcticstartup|accessdate=2015-03-09|date=2014-03-31|author=Norris Ben|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402110926/http://www.arcticstartup.com/2014/03/31/what-can-you-accomplish-in-roughly-200-hours|archive-date=April 2, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> Lingvist adapts to users' skill levels and attempts to teach the users quickly, starting with the most relevant words. While there are grammar references, the primary method of Lingvist is not in teaching grammar but in teaching the language as it is used naturally.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.workinestonia.com/lingvist-will-keep-its-hq-in-estonia-after-huge-investment-from-japan-is-hiring/|title=lingvist will keep its HQ in Estonia after huge investment from Japan, is hiring|publisher=Work in Estonia|accessdate=2018-10-26|date=2015-11-10}}</ref>
==History== Lingvist was co-founded in 2013 by Mait Müntel, an Estonian physicist involved with the team that identified the Higgs-Boson particle at CERN, Ott Jalakas and Andres Koern.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://e-estonia.com/from-nuclear-physics-to-teaching-languages/|title=From nuclear physics to teaching language|publisher=E-Estonia.com|accessdate=2015-03-09|date=2015-01-13|url-status=bot: unknown|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160603180703/https://e-estonia.com/from-nuclear-physics-to-teaching-languages/|archivedate=2016-06-03}}</ref>
In 2014, the company raised €1 million from SmartCap, Nordic VC Inventure, and other angel investors to develop the tool.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thenextweb.com/insider/2014/04/30/catch-month-tech-news-eastern-europe-april/|title=Catch up on a month of tech news from Eastern Europe: April|publisher=thenextweb.com|accessdate=2015-03-09|date=2014-04-30| author=Degler Andrii}}</ref>
Lingvist announced in June 2015 an additional €1.6 million funding from the European Union, as part of the Horizon 2020 programme.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.producthunt.com/tech/lingvist-2-0|publisher=ProductHunt|accessdate=2015-06-17|date=2015-06-01|title=Lingvist 2.0}}</ref>
In November 2015, the company raised $8 million in Series A funding led by Japanese e-commerce and online services giant Rakuten, with participation from investment firms SmartCap, Inventure, and from Skype co-founder Jaan Tallinn and former Atomico partner Geoff Prentice.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2017/0421_01.html|publisher=Rakuten|accessdate=2018-10-26|date=2017-04-21|title=Rakuten Enters English Education Business with the Launch of "Rakuten Super English," a Comprehensive English Learning Service}}</ref>
In March, 2017, Lingvist announced their partnership with Taiwanese company {{ill|PChome|lt=|zh|PChome Online網路家庭}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://e-estonia.com/lingvist-and-pchome-announce-a-partnership-in-taiwan-predicted-to-save-mandarin-speakers-learning-english-more-than-3-million-hours-by-the-end-of-the-year/|publisher=e-estonia|accessdate=2018-10-26|date=2017-03-21|title=Lingvist and PChome announce a partnership in Taiwan – predicted to save Mandarin speakers learning English more than 3 million hours by the end of the year}}</ref>
==Recognition== * In March 2013, Lingvist received a €9,900 Prototron Grant to finance their initial prototype.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.swedbank.ee/kirjad/evp/2014_09/news5_eng.html|title=Prototron moulds real business ideas|publisher=Swedbank|accessdate=2015-03-09|author=Kitt Robert, Member of the Board, Swedbank|archive-date=March 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303201332/https://www.swedbank.ee/kirjad/evp/2014_09/news5_eng.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> * In March 2014, it was handpicked by TechStars London Accelerator Program.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/06/20/techstars-london-demo-day/|title=TechStars London Demo Day 2014: Meet The 11 Startups (And Our Picks)|publisher=Techcrunch|accessdate=2015-03-09|date=2014-06-20|author=Lunden Ingrid}}</ref> * In October 2015, the company was recognized as the "brightest startup" by the Tallinn Entrepreneurship Awards.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tallinn.ee/eng/Uudis-Tallinn-recognizes-its-brightest-entrepreneurs|title=Tallinn recognizes its brightest entrepreneurs|publisher=Tallinn.ee|accessdate=2015-10-29|date=2015-10-12}}</ref> * In February 2017, Lingvist completed their Horizon 2020 project<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/easme/en/news/lingvist-closes-their-sme-instrument-project-extra-private-investment|title=Lingvist closes its SME Instrument project with extra private investment!|publisher=EASME |accessdate=2018-10-26|date=2017-02-08}}</ref> and received additional funding from Rakuten. In June that year, the company received an EdTechXGlobal All Stars Rise Award.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ecosystem.edtechxeurope.com/2017-edtech-startup-award-winners|title=2017 EdTechXGlobal All Stars Awards|publisher=EdTechEurope|accessdate=2018-10-26|archive-date=February 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216142716/http://ecosystem.edtechxeurope.com/2017-edtech-startup-award-winners|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==See also== * Language education * Language pedagogy * Computer-assisted language learning * List of language self-study programs
==References== <references />
==External links== *{{Official website|https://lingvist.com}} *[https://www.languagelist.org/ Language Learning]
Category:Estonian websites Category:Education companies Category:Online companies of Estonia Category:Language learning software Category:Language-learning websites Category:Educational organizations based in Estonia Category:Internet properties established in 2013 Category:2013 establishments in Estonia Category:Horizon 2020 projects Category:Education in Estonia Category:Educational websites