# VIPKid

> VIPKid is an online education platform that pairs young learners with native English-speaking teachers for live, one-on-one video classes. Founded in Beijing in 2013 by Cindy Mi, it grew into one of the world's largest live-tutoring marketplaces before pivoting to international markets after China's 2021 'double reduction' policy reshaped private tutoring.

- **Founded:** 2013
- **Headquarters:** Beijing, China (with operations in San Francisco; HQ relocated to Singapore in 2022)
- **Founders:** Cindy Mi (Mi Wenjuan) (Founder & CEO)
- **Team size:** ~12,000 (peak)
- **Products:** VIPKid 1-on-1 English Classes, VIPKid Teacher Platform, Lingo Bus, VIPKid International
- **Notable:** Named to Fast Company's 50 Most Innovative Companies in 2018., Cindy Mi recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader., Built one of the largest cross-border live-tutoring networks in history.

## Products & services

- **VIPKid 1-on-1 English Classes** — Live 25-minute video lessons between a student and a North American teacher, built around a proprietary K-12 curriculum aligned to U.S. Common Core.
- **VIPKid Teacher Platform** — A marketplace and scheduling system that contracts and pays tens of thousands of North American teachers as independent contractors.
- **Lingo Bus** — A sister product teaching Mandarin Chinese to non-Chinese children via the same live-online format.
- **VIPKid International** — Post-2021 product line serving students outside mainland China, including markets in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.

## Achievements

- Named to Fast Company's 50 Most Innovative Companies in 2018.
- Cindy Mi recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader.
- Built one of the largest cross-border live-tutoring networks in history.
- Reached a $4.5B valuation by 2019 - one of China's most valuable EdTech companies.

## Latest updates

- **2019-10** — Closed $150M Series E led by Tencent.
- **2021-07** — China's 'double reduction' policy bars foreign-based tutors for K-9 academic subjects, forcing a strategic reset.
- **2021-10** — Terminates core K-12 program for mainland Chinese students.
- **2022** — Relocates headquarters to Singapore and pivots to international markets.

## Links

- Website: https://www.vipkid.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vipkid
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/TheVIPKIDLife
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/VIPKID
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vipkidlife/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VIPKID/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/vipkid
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-22