Hihilulu
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
Hihilulu firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hihilulu
- Legal name
- hihilulu Company Ltd.
- Website
- https://hihilulu.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hihilulu industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Chinese Language Learning Platform (EdTech / Language Learning)
- NAICS
- Language Schools (611630), Language Schools (61163), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Language Learning Apps & Self-Study Platforms (EDAFAOAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Live Online Language Tutoring & Small-Group Classes (EDAMAFAD), Language Assessment, Placement Testing & Proficiency Certification Tools (EDAFAOAH), Young Learners ESL/EFL Materials (Pre-K–Primary) (EDAGAHAF)
Keywords
Where Hihilulu is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Hihilulu business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Family Subscription (Web Premium): Monthly or annual subscriptions for families accessing the full animation library and learning content. €7.90/month or €79.00/year for complete library access with 30-day free trial.
- School Curriculum Licensing: Schools pay for curriculum programs including kindergarten (€129/level/year), primary school (€249/level/year), and middle school (€299/level/year). Schools can choose between full service (with hihilulu teachers) or platform-only options with teacher training.
- Teacher Training Programs: Professional development programs for teachers including Mandarin Teacher Training Camp (€299 per teacher) and video-based training (€19/single session or €179 for 10 sessions).
- Physical Learning Materials: Sale of printed materials including student manuals, character writing booklets, flashcards, scrabble books, wooden construction games, and teacher guidebooks at various price points per level.
- Private Tutoring: Online Chinese private tutoring sessions available as an add-on for families seeking personalized instruction.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Basic (Free) - Limited library access |
| Subscription | Monthly | Web Premium - Full library access |
| Subscription | Annual | Kindergarten Curriculum for Schools |
| Subscription | Annual | Primary School Curriculum for Schools |
| Subscription | Annual | Middle School Curriculum for Schools |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Mandarin Teacher Training Camp |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Mandarin Teacher Video Training |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Physical Learning Materials |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels12 records
Hihilulu product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hihilulu provides Mandarin Chinese language education through three distinct digital channels: hihilulu Atelier® (an online teaching and curriculum platform for schools with AI-driven speech training and progress tracking), hihilulu Learn Chinese@home (a subscription-based family app with licensed animation content, 800+ vocabulary videos, and private tutoring), and hihilulu Academy® (a teacher certification and professional development platform). All three are built on Professor Joël Bellassen's proprietary Snowballing Method (dualism methodology) using 125 core visual components, and are supported by physical learning materials (flashcards, workbooks, wooden character construction boards).
Product overview
Hihilulu is an immersive Mandarin Chinese learning platform operating across three core offerings: (1) hihilulu Atelier® for schools — a gamified, AI-supported online teaching platform delivering structured Chinese courses, after-school workshops, and holiday camps to international schools; (2) hihilulu Learn Chinese@home for families — a subscription-based app featuring licensed cartoon animations, 800+ vocabulary videos, speech training, and private tutoring; and (3) hihilulu Academy® for teachers — a certification and professional development platform offering Snowballing Method training and teaching resources. The Snowballing Method, developed by Professor Joël Bellassen, is the pedagogical foundation across all products, separating oral and written Chinese systems through 125 core visual components. Physical learning materials (flashcards, workbooks, wooden boards) complement the digital platform across both school and family segments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- hihilulu Atelier® (hihilulu中文工坊) Online teaching and curriculum platform for schools, delivering interactive Chinese courses, AI-driven speech training, real-time progress tracking, and gamified content aligned with the Snowballing Method and HSK standards; used by international and private K-12 schools (kindergarten through middle school) as a turnkey Chinese program that can be delivered by Hihilulu teachers or by the school's own trained staff.
- hihilulu Learn Chinese@home (hihilulu沉浸中文家庭版) Family subscription app and web platform that gives children (ages 3–15) access to immersive Mandarin learning via licensed animation content, 800+ vocabulary videos, gamified lessons, listening and speaking practice, and progress tracking for parents; designed for non-Chinese-speaking families who want their children to learn Mandarin at home.
- hihilulu Academy® Professional development and certification platform for Chinese language teachers, delivering standardized Snowballing Method training courses led by Professor Joël Bellassen, classroom resources, lesson plans, and access to the Teacher Ambassador Programme; offered as the Mandarin Teacher Training Camp (€299 per teacher) and per-session video training.
- After-School Chinese Workshop (课后中文工坊) Interactive weekly after-school enrichment program combining the hihilulu Atelier® platform with the family learning app to deliver 45+ minutes of immersive language and cultural exploration per session; sold to schools as an add-on to their standard curriculum.
- Holiday Camp (假期研学课程) Week-long immersive Chinese language camps with 3–7 hours of daily instruction, combining structured Mandarin learning with cultural arts practice to deliver a comprehensive language and cultural experience for school-aged children during school holidays.
- Private Chinese Courses (中文私教课) One-on-one online Chinese tutoring sessions customized to each child's level and learning needs, sold as an add-on to the Learn Chinese@home subscription for families seeking personalized instruction.
- Physical Learning Materials Tangible teaching aids sold separately per level, including student manuals (€35), Snowballing writing booklets (€19), listening/speaking flashcards (€45), Snowballing flashcards (€39), Scrabble books (€29), wooden character construction boards (€59), and teacher guidebooks (€39); complement digital learning across both school and family segments.
Quantifiable outcome
- 125 core visual components progressively build into full Chinese literacy
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Hihilulu
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Hihilulu technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability7 records
Feature5 records
Hihilulu partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Station FcoreWorld's largest startup campus located in Paris, France. hihilulu operates within the Station F ecosystem, benefiting from infrastructure, community, and networking opportunities.
- British Schools in the Middle East (BSME)minorNetwork of British international schools in the Middle East region. Partnership enables distribution of hihilulu's Chinese curriculum to member schools.
- BSA (Boarding Schools Association)minorUK organization representing boarding schools globally. Partnership positions hihilulu as an approved supplier for Chinese language curriculum.
- COBIS (Council of British International Schools)minorGlobal network of British international schools. Partnership provides visibility and access to member schools seeking Chinese language programs.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights5 records
Hihilulu competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- LingoAce: Singapore-headquartered online Mandarin Chinese learning platform for children aged 3-15, offering 1-on-1 live instruction and AI-driven courses to both families and schools globally—directly comparable to hihilulu's three-segment model targeting the same demographic.
- Yoyo Chinese: Online Chinese learning platform offering self-study courses, mobile apps, and structured curriculum targeting English-speaking learners; comparable subscription-based family model and structured curriculum.
- GoEast Mandarin: Online Chinese language school providing 1-on-1 classes and self-study apps for children and adults, with similar dual focus on family subscriptions and school partnerships across international markets.
- That's Mandarin: Established Mandarin language school with both physical locations in China and online courses, serving adults and children. Comparable curriculum-based approach with multi-tier learning and HSK preparation alignment.
- eChineseLearning: Online Chinese school offering private tutoring, group classes, and curriculum for K-12 students, including partnerships with international schools—directly competitive with hihilulu Atelier and hihilulu Academy offerings.
Emerging players
- Novakid: Online English language school for children ages 4-12, offering subscription and live teacher options. Comparable children-first subscription model and animated curriculum, though targeting English learners.
- Lingokids: Subscription-based English learning platform for children aged 2-8 using animation and gamification—similar product-led growth motion and animation-driven methodology, but for English rather than Chinese.
Broad incumbents
- Duolingo: The largest language learning platform globally with gamified, AI-driven courses across dozens of languages. While not specialized in Chinese for kids, it competes for the same self-study subscription attention at family-level price points.
- Babbel: Major subscription-based language learning incumbent with a Chinese course offering; competes for adult-driven family learning budgets, though less specialized in young learners than hihilulu.
- Berlitz: Global language school incumbent with institutional partnerships and structured curricula across many languages including Chinese; a broader educational services incumbent that competes for institutional and consumer language training spend.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hihilulu social profiles
Digital presenceHihilulu financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hihilulu leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Hihilulu funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hihilulu M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hihilulu
What does Hihilulu do?
Hihilulu provides Mandarin Chinese language education through three distinct digital channels: hihilulu Atelier® (an online teaching and curriculum platform for schools with AI-driven speech training and progress tracking), hihilulu Learn Chinese@home (a subscription-based family app with licensed animation content, 800+ vocabulary videos, and private tutoring), and hihilulu Academy® (a teacher certification and professional development platform). All three are built on Professor Joël Bellassen's proprietary Snowballing Method (dualism methodology) using 125 core visual components, and are supported by physical learning materials (flashcards, workbooks, wooden character construction boards).
Is Hihilulu a public or private company?
Hihilulu is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Hihilulu founded?
Hihilulu was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Hihilulu based?
Hihilulu is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does Hihilulu make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Family Subscription (Web Premium) is the primary driver. The others are school Curriculum Licensing, teacher Training Programs, physical Learning Materials and private Tutoring.
Who are Hihilulu's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are LingoAce, Yoyo Chinese, GoEast Mandarin, That's Mandarin and eChineseLearning. Emerging players are Novakid and Lingokids. Broad incumbents are Duolingo, Babbel and Berlitz.
Does Hihilulu have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hihilulu.
What industry is Hihilulu in?
Hihilulu's product category is Chinese Language Learning Platform (EdTech / Language Learning). Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFAOAA, Language Learning Apps & Self-Study Platforms, with a secondary code of EDAMAFAD, Live Online Language Tutoring & Small-Group Classes. Its NAICS code is 611630 and its SIC code is 8200.