SpeakX.ai, the AI-powered spoken English platform founded by Arpit Mittal, has raised $16 million (around ₹142 crore) in a funding round led by WestBridge Capital, with participation from Elevation Capital and Goodwater Capital. This marks the first major funding for the company since it pivoted from its earlier identity as YellowClass, a children’s learning platform, to an AI-led English speaking venture.
The funding round also saw participation from well-known angel investors including Shyamal Anadkat of OpenAI and Ronnie Screwvala of upGrad. With this fresh infusion, SpeakX aims to strengthen its AI infrastructure, expand into regional languages, and scale operations sustainably across India.
A Remarkable Comeback Story
SpeakX’s journey is one of India’s most compelling startup turnarounds. Originally founded as YellowClass in 2020 to offer online hobby classes for children, the company’s growth plateaued after schools reopened post-pandemic. In 2023, Mittal made the bold decision to pivot entirely, shutting down YellowClass and rebuilding from the ground up as SpeakX.ai — a platform focused on helping Indians learn spoken English through AI-driven simulations and real-time feedback.
Within just a year, SpeakX became profitable. The company now boasts over 200,000 paying subscribers, 10 million total users, and ₹5 crore in monthly revenue. Mittal shared that SpeakX crossed ₹10 crore in profit this financial year, proving that sustainable growth in edtech is possible through innovation and efficiency.
Backed by Strong Investor Confidence
The successful funding round underlines investor faith in AI-first, profitable education models. Sandeep Singhal, Managing Partner at WestBridge Capital, stated, “SpeakX’s AI-native platform is opening new pathways for millions of learners. We’re proud to back their mission to make English learning accessible and impactful across India.”
Manish Advani, Principal at Elevation Capital, added, “SpeakX is reshaping how Indians learn to speak English. The team’s focus on user confidence, fluency, and affordability positions them uniquely in this evolving space.”
Mittal confirmed that 80 percent of the new capital will go towards strengthening SpeakX’s AI and speech-recognition technology, with the remainder allocated to regional language expansion including upcoming support for Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Marathi users.
Technology at the Core of Learning
SpeakX’s unique offering lies in its AI-powered conversational learning, which simulates real human interactions to help users practice English speaking. It provides instant feedback on pronunciation, fluency, and tone — all designed to make learners more confident and job-ready. Initially powered by OpenAI’s API, SpeakX now uses Google Gemini, offering faster, more responsive interactions.
Mittal emphasized, “Our strength lies in personalization at scale. We deliver high-quality AI learning experiences at a cost that works for Indian users. Our goal isn’t just to teach English, but to help people speak it with confidence.”
The Road Ahead
With this funding, SpeakX plans to accelerate its growth across India while maintaining profitability. The company is targeting ₹100 crore in annual EBITDA by 2026 and aims to build a $300–400 million business in India within the next few years.
Arpit Mittal concluded, “India is the biggest opportunity for us right now. Once we deepen our presence here, global expansion will follow naturally. Our focus remains on building meaningful products that change how Indians learn and communicate.”
SpeakX’s success story mirrors the resurgence of India’s edtech ecosystem — a shift from high-burn models to profitable, technology-driven ventures built for long-term impact.
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