Fluently: the AI Coach for English Fluency
Stan Beliaev and Yurii Rebryk have developed Fluently, an AI-powered tool that provides feedback and tips on English pronunciation, aiming to help non-native English speakers improve their fluency. Similar to ELSA and its AI voice tutor, Fluently offers real-time coaching based on actual conversations, distinguishing itself as a unique solution in the market.
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Fluently allows users to record and transcribe their part in real calls, such as Zoom meetings, and also provides AI coaches like «Ryan» for daily conversations and «Kyle» for interview practice, catering to non-native job seekers requiring advanced English skills. The tool’s potential user base amounts to approximately 84 million non-native English-speaking employees, a substantial and growing niche within the English language learning sector.
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Fluently recently secured a $2 million initial funding round from Pioneer Fund, SID Venture Partners, and individual angels, following its acceptance into the Y Combinator‘s winter batch of 2024. The startup’s strong focus on technology, with three out of its four-person team being engineers, has also contributed to its appeal to venture capitalists, backed by their prior internships at Amazon, Google, and Nvidia.
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Although neither of the founders has a background in teaching, their insider perspective as fluent speakers has enabled them to design a product tailored to the needs of users seeking a background tool focusing on specific areas requiring improvement. Fluently‘s goal is to be a one-stop platform for improving overall speaking skills including pronunciation, grammar, rhythm, and vocabulary, potentially incorporating features akin to Grammarly or Ludwig for writing.
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Despite being in its early beta stage, Fluently has shown promise in addressing user needs, offering a clear idea of its potential benefits. However, the app is currently limited to MacOS, with plans underway for a Chrome extension. Furthermore, concerns over privacy and data security have been addressed, ensuring that user data is stored locally, encrypted, and anonymized when sent to third-party AI transcription providers.
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Looking ahead, the initial funding will support Fluently‘s expansion, aiding in team growth and marketing efforts to capitalize on the tool’s appeal to potential users, laying the groundwork for further development and accessibility.
Vía TechCrunch
