About PlaySay (Now Babbel)
PlaySay (Now Babbel) is an Education company based in San Francisco (United States) founded in 2008, and was acquired by Babbel in March 2013. Language learners are connected via gamified app for conversational practice. PlaySay (Now Babbel) has raised $250 thousand across 1 funding round from investors including Babbel and Novak Biddle Venture Partners. The company was acqui-hired. Its focus areas include EdTech, Continued Learning, Vocational and Language Learning. Its legal entity is PlaySay Inc. Its competitors include TripLingo and Clozemaster; 1 of its 2 listed competitors has raised funding.
Company details
PlaySay was founded in 2008 in San Francisco, United States, as an iPhone-based application in the language learning sector. Users were linked for real-time conversations, with pronunciation feedback provided through gamified features. Operations included premium content partnerships with McGraw-Hill and HarperCollins. The company was backed by Novak Biddle Venture Partners and recognized as a TechCrunch Disrupt Finalist before acquisition by Babbel in 2013, after which it was shut down.
- Headquarters San Francisco, United States
- Stage Acquired
- SectorsEducation
- Website playsay.com
- Social LinkedIn X Facebook
- Acquired by Babbel (Mar 2013)
- Legal Name Playsay Inc.
Funding Insights of PlaySay (Now Babbel)
PlaySay (Now Babbel) has successfully raised a total of $250K through 1 strategic funding round. The most recent funding activity was a Seed round of $250 thousand completed in May 2012. This substantial capital infusion reflects strong investor confidence in the company's business model, growth potential, and market opportunities. The funding enables strategic expansion, product development, market penetration, and operational scaling to drive long-term value creation and competitive advantage.
- Total Funding $250,000
- Total Rounds 1
- Last Round Seed — $250,000
- First Round $250,000
(May 2012)
- Investors Count 1
All 1 funding rounds of PlaySay (Now Babbel) with amounts and investors; the two latest post-money valuations are shown, the rest are part of the premium plan.
| Date | Amount | Transaction Name | Valuation | Lead Investors | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2012 | $250,000 | Seed | – | – |
2 investors in total: 2 institutional.
Investors in PlaySay (Now Babbel)
PlaySay (Now Babbel) has secured backing from 2 investors, including venture fund investors. Prominent investors backing the company include Babbel and Novak Biddle Venture Partners.
| Investor | Description | Founded Year | Domain | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
US focused VC firm | novakbiddle.com | Bethesda, United States | ||
SaaS-based language learning solutions are offered through interactive courses. | 2007 | babbel.com | Berlin, Germany |
Investor details for PlaySay (Now Babbel)
The complete investor list, round-by-round participation and investor portfolios require an active premium plan.
- Complete investor list
- Round participation
- Investor portfolios
- Co-investor network
Verified entity values are shown only after access is granted.
Timeline of PlaySay (Now Babbel)
3 dated milestones of PlaySay (Now Babbel) across 5 years, from founding to its latest funding, stage changes and deals.
- Founded PlaySay (Now Babbel) is founded.
- Funding First funding round of $250K.
- Exit Acquired by Babbel.
Competitors of PlaySay (Now Babbel)
PlaySay (Now Babbel) has 2 listed competitors in our database, 1 of them funded. They include TripLingo and Clozemaster.
| Company Name | Domain | Founded | HQ Location | Total funding | Employees | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| triplingo.com | 2011 | Atlanta, United States | $1.82M | Language learning mobile app for travellers | ||
| clozemaster.com | 2016 | Somerville, United States | Language learning app with fill-in-the-blank sentences for contextual practice. |
Detailed competitors of PlaySay (Now Babbel)
The full competitor set, operating metrics and side-by-side benchmarks require an active premium plan.
- Full competitor set
- Operating metrics
- Benchmarks
- Competitive positioning
Verified entity values are shown only after access is granted.
Top companies in Corporate & Professional Learning Platforms
3 companies that operate in the same segment as PlaySay (Now Babbel) (Corporate & Professional Learning Platforms) in United States, ranked by their profile score on The Company Check.
| Company | Description | Founded | Location | Total funding | Revenue | Employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Developer of a platform providing gamified language learning through interactive exercises | 2011 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States | USD 183.3 M | USD 748.02 M | 900 | |
Cloud-based LMS platform for IT industry | 2004 | Farmington, Utah, United States | USD 235.41 M | USD 4.95 M | 1,774 | |
Professional certification programs are delivered through a mobile platform. | 2010 | San Francisco, California, United States | USD 80.82 M | USD 69.48 M | 1,207 |
Unlock complete access to The Company Check
Get unrestricted viewing across everything we track — from companies and brands to investors, funding rounds, acquisitions, financials, and more.
- Unlimited viewing on all profiles Companies, investors, financials, funding, acquisitions & directors
- Full access to every database India & global coverage, advanced filters and rich profile details
- Always-on access from your team account Single premium plan for everything you see on the portal
Related news about Playsay (Now Babbel)
Complete news archive for PlaySay (Now Babbel)
Full article history, source details, and older brand coverage require an active premium plan.
- Full article archive
- Source and publication date
- Older coverage
- Brand-specific news history
Verified entity values are shown only after access is granted.
Frequently Asked Questions about PlaySay (Now Babbel)
PlaySay (Now Babbel) was founded in 2008 and raised its 1st funding round 4 years after it was founded.
PlaySay (Now Babbel) is headquartered in San Francisco, United States. It is registered at San Francisco, California, United States.
PlaySay (Now Babbel) is a funded company, having raised a total of $250K across 1 funding round to date. The company's 1st funding round was a Seed of $250K, raised on May 2012.
PlaySay was founded in 2008 in San Francisco, United States, as an iPhone-based application in the language learning sector. Users were linked for real-time conversations, with pronunciation feedback provided through gamified features. Operations included premium content partnerships with McGraw-Hill and HarperCollins. The company was backed by Novak Biddle Venture Partners and recognized as a TechCrunch Disrupt Finalist before acquisition by Babbel in 2013, after which it was shut down.
PlaySay (Now Babbel)'s top competitors include TripLingo and Clozemaster.
PlaySay (Now Babbel) has 2 investors. Key investors include Babbel, and Novak Biddle Venture Partners.
PlaySay (Now Babbel) operates through Playsay Inc..
Yes. PlaySay (Now Babbel) was acquired by Babbel in March 2013.