Online Tutoring App 'Teach' Raises 50 Million Yen in Pre-Series A Funding

Teach Inc. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Osaka; Representative Director and CEO: Hideo Nakaniwa) announced that it has raised a total of 50 million yen in a pre-Series A round to expand its online tutor matching app "Teach". The funding was secured through a third-party allotment of shares underwritten by Teammakecapital, Light Up Ventures, Pay Forward, and the SEA Social Startup Fund.

With this latest funding round, the company's total capital raised has reached 110 million yen.

Through this procurement, the company will advance (1) product experience improvement and new feature development, (2) acquisition of tutors and students to enhance the quality of the learning experience, and (3) strengthening of the organizational foundation. Teach aims to deliver an environment to more households where "the pains of home learning are resolved, and children can learn positively."

## Funding Overview

- Amount raised: 50 million yen
- Method: Third-party allotment of shares
- Investors: Teammakecapital, Light Up Ventures, Pay Forward, SEA Social Startup Fund
- Use of funds: Product development, marketing, operational enhancement, etc.

## Purpose of Funding

With this funding, the following will be prioritized:

1. Acceleration of product development (matching experience, booking/attendance flow, learning accompaniment features, etc.)
2. Improvement of learning experience quality (tutor knowledge management, support system enhancement, user community formation, etc.)
3. Strengthening of organizational foundation (development team enhancement, CRM marketing enhancement, etc.)
4. Marketing investment (brand awareness, acquisition efficiency improvement, user insight collection, etc.)

## Background: An Era Where "Accompaniment" in Home Learning is Difficult

Against the backdrop of an increase in dual-income households and the intensifying competition for middle school entrance exams, challenges in home learning have become apparent, such as:
- Not knowing how to create a study plan
- Inability to manage cram school follow-ups (review/past exams/overcoming weaknesses)
- Deterioration of parent-child relationships

Teach alleviates the burden of home learning and supports an environment where children can study independently, based on the core concept of "learning immediately from a highly compatible teacher."

## What is the Online Tutoring App "Teach"?

It provides a system where students and parents can take spot lessons so that home learning does not stagnate, while teachers can earn income by teaching during their spare time.

"Teach" is a tutor matching app that allows users to select their own tutors and take classes online.

Users can choose a tutor based on profile information (teaching style, personality, etc.), consult and make requests via messages before class, and conduct the class online.
Furthermore, there are no entrance or material fees. It provides a system where users can book single lessons on a pay-as-you-go basis, starting from 1,995 yen per session, allowing them to take classes exactly when needed. (Pricing as of May 26, 2025)

## Features and Value of Teach

The total number of registered tutors has exceeded 3,000. Class reviews average over 4.97, and the class continuation rate is over 80%.

1. Choose a teacher based on "compatibility"
Users can find a suitable teacher and take classes using clues such as the tutor's alma mater, teaching style, and personality.

2. Reduce scheduling hassle for smooth classes
Users can check the tutor's availability within the app, providing a seamless experience from booking to attending the class all within the app.

3. Pay-as-you-go, just what you need, when you need it
With no entrance or material fees and a pay-as-you-go model, it can be used flexibly, from "just one time" or "only before a test" to "accompanying daily home learning."

## Achievements and Future Outlook

**Achievements**
- GMV (Gross Merchandise Volume) grew 4.2 times in the past year
- Continuation rate of over 80%
- Total registered tutors exceeded 3,000

**Future Outlook**
- Eliminate wasted time unable to solve problems through instant matching
- Lower fees and improve teacher treatment through 1-to-many individualized instruction
- Visualize learning roadmaps for goal achievement using AI
- Build knowledge management through community formation of parents (students) and teachers

## Investor Comments

**Kazuaki Matsunaga, Representative Director, Team Make Capital Inc.**
Beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, having someone teach you something online or via smartphone has become a part of everyday life. The advantage of online is that it can be used easily and safely, making the tutoring sector highly compatible. I feel that Teach is a product with the potential to become a top player in this new frontier opened up post-COVID. I was also impressed by the wonderful courage of Mr. Nakaniwa, a serial entrepreneur, and decided to invest.

**Tadashi Nakamura, Representative Director, Light Up Ventures Inc.**
I am very pleased to have the opportunity to invest. Inspired by the idea of resolving family discord that often arises during middle school exams, the company has carefully listened to user feedback since launching the service. By diligently advancing product development, it has evolved into a service with extremely high user satisfaction. I have known Mr. Nakaniwa since the summer of 2024, and I look forward to supporting him more closely and contributing to the business's growth in any way I can.

**Hitoshi Tanii, Representative Director, Pay Forward Inc.**
We have invested in Teach Inc. President Nakaniwa is a reliable manager with the ability to build a business from scratch and put it on a steady track. The service he is developing, Teach, boasts extremely high user satisfaction, and I view this business as realizing the "democratization of tutoring" by expanding educational choices. Creating an environment where everyone can access high-quality educational opportunities is of immense value today. I am convinced that this business will play a vital role in ensuring that every child faces the important milestone of exams "without regrets." I expect Mr. Nakaniwa's sincere inner passion to become a source of strength for many families. As an investor, I believe in his "ability to shape a business" and intend to support his steady progress for a long time to come.

**Kunihiro Ogiwara, Representative Partner, SEA Social Startup Fund**
Teach is a very valuable team facing the structural issue that "educational choices narrow due to family circumstances" head-on from both product and operational aspects. I am highly convinced by their careful crafting of an experience that goes beyond mere tutor matching to "connecting with reliable teachers reasonably when needed," resulting in a strong track record of over 80% continuation rate. I am confident that the team led by Mr. Nakaniwa has clear issue recognition and is ready to advance to the next growth phase, from product improvement to organizational building and facing the numbers. Through this investment, we will fully support Teach as it grows into a new educational infrastructure that changes learning from "something you are made to do" to "something you want to do" for more families.