Stimuler Raises USD 3.75 Mn Funding to Scale Voice-First English Learning App The startup plans to use the funds to strengthen its in-house AI infrastructure, expand its technical team, and accelerate user acquisition.
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Stimuler, a voice-first AI tutor helping English-as-a-second-language (ESL) users, has raised USD 3.75 million in Pre-Series A funding from Lightspeed, SWC Global, and other investors including M Venture Partners, Rebright, Force Ventures, GradCapital, and Operators Studio.
The startup plans to use the funds to strengthen its in-house AI infrastructure, expand its technical team, and accelerate user acquisition. The goal is to increase monetisation by over 5X in the next 12–18 months and establish Stimuler as the #1 education app in Latin America (LATAM) and Southeast Asia (SEA).
"At Stimuler, our goal is simple—to make fluent English speaking accessible to people worldwide," said Akshay Akash, CEO and co-founder of Stimuler. "This funding allows us to deepen our investment in AI infrastructure, expand our reach across LATAM and SEA, and move closer to becoming the #1 education app in these key markets. We believe our India-to-the-world and voice-first approach positions us uniquely to address the unmet needs of a billion English learners."
Founded in 2022 by Akshay Akash, Ankit Kumar Pandey, Anesh Srivastav, and Akshat Baranwal, Stimuler is an AI-driven English-speaking tutor offering real-time feedback on pronunciation, fluency, grammar, and vocabulary. Built in India for global users, the platform leverages advanced speech analysis and personalised exercises to help ESL learners develop spoken English skills.
The app has been installed over 4 million times, with over 45,000 paying users, primarily from outside India. Stimuler's strongest traction comes from LATAM and SEA markets, especially Indonesia. The company was awarded the Google Play Best App with AI in 2023 and currently serves users in over 175 countries.
"Stimuler is solving a universal need—making spoken English proficiency more accessible with sharp execution and deep product insight," said Harsha Kumar, Partner at Lightspeed. "Akshay and his team are building a truly global company from India, poised to lead the category for the next billion users."
Tuck Lye Koh, Founding Partner at SWC Global, added, "Stimuler has built a global-ready product with strong user engagement. We're excited to support their journey toward becoming a global leader in spoken English learning."
