Loading organizations...
§ Private Profile · London, UK
Memrise is a technology company.
Memrise offers a comprehensive language learning platform designed to facilitate rapid acquisition and retention of new languages. The core product leverages spaced repetition techniques, presented through an engaging app interface, to help users efficiently learn vocabulary and phrases. It integrates immersion principles, enabling learners to acquire practical language skills for real-world communication.
The company was founded in 2010 by Ed Cooke, Ben Whately, and Greg Detre, who met during their studies in neuroscience and psychology at Oxford. Their collective insight into memory science and effective learning methodologies drove the creation of a system that optimizes language acquisition. This background in cognitive science underpinned their approach to building a platform centered on how the brain best retains information.
The platform serves a global audience of individuals committed to mastering new languages. Its vision centers on making language learning accessible and effective, empowering users to build fluency and confidence for practical application. Memrise continuously evolves its methods to ensure learners can acquire language skills that are immediately usable in conversations.
Memrise has raised $21.1M across 3 funding rounds.
Memrise has raised $21.1M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Memrise has raised $21.1M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $16.0M Series B in June 2018.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 2018 | $16M Series B | Octopus Ventures, Korelya Capital | Archimedes Accelerator LLC, Atomico, Audrey Capital, Eight Roads Ventures, Expon Capital, LocalGlobe, True Ventures, Zinc, Bryan Meehan, Avalon Ventures, Balderton Capital | Announced |
| Nov 20, 2013 | $4M Series A | Avalon Ventures, Balderton Capital | — | Announced |
| Feb 16, 2012 | $1.1M Venture Round | — | Bill Warner, Jeff Hammerbacher, KEN Baumann, Nabeel Hyatt, Scott Heller, Walt Winshall, Matt Mullenweg, Avalon Ventures, Balderton Capital, Lerer Hippeau | Announced |
Memrise is a London-based EdTech company offering a freemium, gamified mobile app and web platform for language learning, serving over 65 million registered users worldwide.[1][2][5][6] It targets learners from beginners to advanced levels across 23-35 languages (and combinations), solving the problem of dull, ineffective traditional methods by using mnemonic techniques, spaced repetition flashcards, native-speaker videos for immersion, and AI-driven conversation practice via MemBot to build real-world speaking confidence.[1][2][3][5] The platform's "Learn, Immerse, Communicate" method has driven steady growth, achieving profitability since late 2016 with $4 million monthly turnover as of 2018, and raising $15.5 million in funding.[5][7]
Memrise was founded in 2010 in London by Ed Cooke (a Grandmaster of Memory and cognitive science expert who won the US Memory Championships), Ben Whately, and Greg Detre (a Princeton neuroscientist specializing in memory and forgetting), who met studying psychology and neuroscience at Oxford University.[1][2][3][4][5] United by a passion for human learning and technology's potential to enhance it, they initially built a general platform after winning Princeton's 2009 TigerLaunch competition, applying memory techniques like mnemonics to speed up memorization.[2][5][7] The idea crystallized from frustrations with boring language classrooms fixated on rules over real competency; they pivoted to languages, launching in private beta and evolving through user-generated content, video immersion (e.g., 2016 MemBus tour across Europe recording native phrases), and AI tools.[1][3][6]
Memrise rides the EdTech boom in personalized, AI-enhanced learning amid a $115 billion global language market, capitalizing on remote work, globalization, and post-pandemic demand for accessible skill-building.[2] Its timing aligns with mobile AI advancements (e.g., video pipelines, chatbots) enabling scalable immersion, addressing research gaps in contextual repetition highlighted since 2007.[1] Market forces like smartphone penetration and cultural exchange favor it, influencing the ecosystem by democratizing languages (including minority ones) and inspiring competitors like Duolingo to prioritize real-world use over drills.[5][7]
Memrise's evolution from memory hacks to full AI immersion positions it for expansion into multimodal learning (e.g., AR/VR conversations) and adjacent skills like professional jargon, fueled by its 65 million-user base and profitability.[2][6] Trends like generative AI personalization and lifelong learning will amplify growth, potentially evolving its influence toward enterprise training or global cultural platforms. As language unlocks connections in an interconnected world, Memrise remains a pioneer in making mastery fun and feasible for all.[1][3]
Memrise has raised $21.1M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Memrise's investors include Octopus Ventures, Korelya Capital, Archimedes Accelerator LLC, Atomico, Audrey Capital, Eight Roads Ventures, Expon Capital, LocalGlobe, True Ventures, Zinc, Bryan Meehan, Avalon Ventures.