Keep Learning While Browsing - Babbel To Integrate Toucan Browser Extension

  • Berlin language giant acquires US-based Toucan to further expand its learning ecosystem 

  • Browser extension helps learners to build vocabulary while surfing the web

  • Toucan remains free, acting as a gateway to Babbel’s premium features

Babbel, the world’s top-selling language learning platform, announces the acquisition of the Toucan browser extension. Toucan helps language learners to build and retain new vocabulary while browsing the web. The agreement to acquire the technology was signed at the beginning of September. While remaining free as a standalone feature, the browser extension will ultimately become part of Babbel’s market-leading ecosystem, which includes an app for language self-study featuring various lessons, games, and cultural extensions, Babbel Live virtual classrooms with certified teachers as well as Babbel Podcasts with more than 30 different series. Connecting various learning experiences around one central curriculum is what makes Babbel’s ecosystem most effective.

“Toucan’s founders have built an excellent learning experience that has helped millions of people embark on their language learning journey”, said Julie Hansen, Babbel’s US CEO and CRO. “By making it a part of Babbel’s rich platform and presenting it in conjunction with Babbel’s various other learning experiences, the product will be strengthened and benefit both Babbel’s and Toucan’s learners. Blending various learning methods has proven to be crucial for language-learning success.”

“We are extremely proud of what we have achieved over the last years, and how we have contributed to the way the world learns languages online,” adds Taylor Harlow, Co-founder and CEO of Toucan. “Toucan’s core values have always been wonder, empathy and impact. That’s why we believe that a company like Babbel, which shares all of these and puts learners first, is the perfect choice to carry on our vision and make it even more impactful and bigger.”

Founded in 2019 in Santa Monica, California, Toucan has developed a browser extension that allows language learners to practice new vocabulary while browsing the internet, automatically translating certain words and phrases on the page into one of eleven languages. It immerses learners as they go about their day, without them having to set time aside, tracking their progress and allowing them to save words for later review. Based on learning science, it is a powerful tool that will come to full fruition in the context of Babbel’s language learning universe, helping learners to reinforce the vocabulary they have learned in Babbel’s self-study courses or live classes. 

As Babbel moves forward with the integration, Toucan will continue to operate under its original name. Just like Babbel’s podcasts, it will function as a high-quality, free feature that offers a glimpse into Babbel’s superior linguistic design, which aims to get learners conversational in their new language as quickly as possible. Download Toucan

About Babbel

Babbel develops and operates an ecosystem of interconnected online language learning experiences and is driven by the purpose of creating mutual understanding through language. This means building products that help people connect and communicate across cultures. The Babbel App, Babbel Live, Babbel Podcasts and Babbel for Business products focus on using a new language in the real world, in real situations, with real people. And it works: Studies by linguists from institutions such as Michigan State University, Yale University and the City University of New York demonstrated the efficacy of Babbel’s language learning methods.

The key is a blend of humanity and technology. Babbel offers more than 60,000 lessons across 15 languages, hand-crafted by nearly 200 didactics experts, with user behaviors continuously analysed to shape and tweak the learner experience. This results in constantly adapting, interactive content with live classes, games, podcasts and videos that make understanding a new language easy, from Spanish to Indonesian.

Because Babbel is for everyone, its team is as diverse as its content. From its headquarters in Berlin and its U.S. office in New York, 1000 people from more than 80 nationalities represent the backgrounds, characteristics and perspectives that make all humans unique. Babbel sold over 15 million subscriptions by creating a true connection with users.

More information: www.babbel.com

Published

19/09/2023

Berlin, London

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