MS Dhoni Invests in AI Edtech Startup SpeakX
SpeakX was originally launched as Yellow Class in 2020 as a children-focused extracurricular learning platform offering classes across categories such as art, craft, dance, yoga and general knowledge.
Former Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has joined AI-powered edtech startup SpeakX as a strategic investor and brand ambassador. The financial details of Dhoni’s investment have not been disclosed.
According to founder and CEO Arpit Mittal, Dhoni’s investment is part of a larger funding round that SpeakX plans to raise next year. The founder said the cricketer connected with the company’s mission and understood the business opportunity before deciding to invest.
SpeakX was originally launched as Yellow Class in 2020 as a children-focused extracurricular learning platform offering classes across categories such as art, craft, dance, yoga and general knowledge. Following a difficult post-pandemic period, the company pivoted towards AI-led English learning and rebranded as SpeakX in 2023. The startup’s current platform uses generative AI and speech technology to help users practise spoken English through everyday conversations and simulated real-world situations.
Mittal said the platform has no regular human teaching touchpoint, with customer support being the main exception when the AI system cannot resolve a user’s issue. SpeakX follows a freemium model and currently has around 2 lakh active paid subscribers, with its subscription priced at ₹299 per month. The company said paid-user retention is around 30% on a monthly basis.
The startup is also expanding beyond its initial Hindi-first strategy by adding regional-language support. SpeakX currently caters to users across Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Marathi, with the company reporting particularly strong traction in southern India. Regional-language users now account for roughly half of its user base, according to Mittal, compared with about 20% during its initial phase.
According to previous reports, the brand has crossed 1 million monthly learners and 2 lakh active paying subscribers while generating an annual recurring revenue of $7.5 million. At the time of its 2025 fundraise, the company was also reported to have been EBITDA-positive since April 2025.
Mittal has now said SpeakX became EBITDA profitable in FY26, with revenue reaching around ₹45 crore during the financial year. The company is targeting revenue of ₹70–80 crore in FY27.
To diversify beyond its consumer business, SpeakX is preparing to launch a B2B English-learning product in the coming months. The offering is expected to initially target industries such as hospitality, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, creating a new enterprise revenue stream for the company.
Before Dhoni’s entry, SpeakX had raised $16 million in a pre-Series B round led by WestBridge Capital in October 2025. Elevation Capital and Goodwater Capital participated, along with angel investors including Ronnie Screwvala and Shyamal Anadkat. The funding was earmarked for product development, strengthening AI capabilities, expanding the team and increasing the company’s reach across Tier II and Tier III markets.
The 2025 round valued SpeakX at about $66 million post-money, according to The Economic Times. The company had earlier raised $6 million as Yellow Class in 2021, taking its reported total funding to more than $20 million.