Olla

What Olla does

Olla (legal entity: 广州市比群信息科技有限公司, Guangzhou Biqun Information Technology Co., Ltd.) is a Guangzhou-based mobile language learning company founded in May 2013 by 老鹰 (Lao Ying / Hongying Liu). The company operates an online language learning ecosystem built around a proprietary "natural acquisition method" (自然习得法) developed by the founder, who claims to have personally mastered five foreign languages (Italian, English, Spanish, Russian, French) over four to five years using the methodology. The platform delivers structured language acquisition through live group chat rooms, peer-to-peer conversational exchange, teacher-led practice sessions, and self-study programs designed to replicate mother-tongue acquisition rather than relying on traditional grammar memorization and vocabulary drilling. Core products include the olla self-study system (鹰鹰学语外语自学通), which offers an 8-week intensive English program (5 sessions per week, 30 minutes daily), and ollaQ, an online language tutor for intermediate and advanced oral proficiency featuring teacher practice modes and peer interaction. The platform integrates translation support for over 60 languages and aligns its leveling system with European and American standards.

Olla operates a direct-to-consumer business model, selling courses and tutoring services to individual learners via WeChat payment. Specific pricing is not publicly disclosed. Customer segments include students preparing to study abroad (IELTS candidates), working professionals seeking career transitions into foreign enterprises, and middle and high school students who have lost confidence in language learning. Distribution occurs through the company's own platform (olla.im), mobile apps distributed via the Huawei App Store (under a 2017 co-distribution partnership), and the WeChat ecosystem (video account, official account, payment, and mini-program). Marketing relies on organic content across WeChat, Bilibili, Weibo, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, with founder storytelling and student testimonials as the primary conversion narrative. The company received approximately $484,893 in funding in May 2015 and an undisclosed investment from Li Xueling (李学凌), CEO of YY, in 2017.

Name

Olla

Legal name

广州市比群信息科技有限公司

Website

https://olla.im

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Olla is a Guangzhou-based mobile language learning company founded in 2013 that sells self-study courses and online tutoring to individual Chinese learners via a proprietary "natural acquisition" methodology, distributed primarily through WeChat payment and the Huawei App Store.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Language Learning

NAICS

Language Schools (611630), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Tutoring, Conversation Exchange & Language Coaching Platforms (EDAFAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Language Learning Apps & Self-Study Platforms (EDAFAOAA), Online Language Learning Platforms (Self-Paced) (EDAMAFAC)

Keywords

• Online language learning
• Language tutoring platform
• Conversational language practice
• Mobile language education
• Self-study language courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Guangzhou

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Course Sales: Sale of structured language learning courses including self-study packages and intensive training programs. Courses are sold via WeChat payment, including the English self-study system (英语自学通) featuring bi-monthly intensive training spanning 8 weeks with 5 days per week at 30 minutes daily.
2. Online Tutoring Services: Teacher practice sessions and live tutoring through the ollaQ platform. Users can connect with teachers for one-on-one or group practice sessions.
3. Community Interaction: Peer-to-peer language practice in group chat rooms with structured progressive training for intermediate to advanced learners seeking rapid oral proficiency breakthroughs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Olla operates a mobile language learning platform built around a proprietary "natural acquisition method" (自然习得法) developed by founder Lao Ying. The platform combines structured self-study courses (such as the 8-week bi-monthly intensive English training program), live chat rooms for peer-to-peer conversational practice, and online tutoring sessions through its ollaQ sub-product. Courses are sold directly to individual learners via WeChat payment, and the system supports translation across more than 60 languages with CEFR-aligned proficiency leveling.

Product overview

Olla offers a language learning ecosystem comprising the main olla platform (鹰鹰学语外语自学通) and its companion app ollaQ. The main platform provides structured 8-week intensive courses and chat room-based conversational practice using the founder's proprietary 'natural acquisition method.' ollaQ serves as the online language tutoring component offering teacher-led practice and peer interaction for intermediate/advanced learners. Both products share a common leveling system aligned with European and American standards and integrate translation support for over 60 languages. The ecosystem is supported by a WeChat-based customer service channel (olla小秘书).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ollaQ: Online language tutor platform offering teacher practice sessions and peer interaction for intermediate and advanced oral language proficiency improvement.

Products and services

• olla Platform (鹰鹰学语-外语自学通 / Eagle Eagle Language Self-Learning System) The core language learning platform based on the founder's proprietary "natural acquisition method" (自然习得法). Features group chat rooms for conversational practice, a structured 8-week bi-monthly intensive English training program (5 days/week, 30 minutes/day), and a leveling system aligned with European and American standards. Designed to help individual learners acquire foreign languages naturally, similar to how children learn their mother tongue, targeting students, professionals, and language enthusiasts.
• ollaQ Online Language Tutor (在线语言陪练) Online language tutoring platform offering teacher-led practice sessions (老师陪练模式) and peer interaction (同学互动) for intermediate and advanced learners seeking rapid speaking breakthrough (口语快速突破). Integrates translation support for over 60 languages and provides systematic oral proficiency training targeting intermediate to advanced learners.
• English Self-Study Bi-Monthly Intensive Training (英语自学通双月特训) An 8-week intensive English self-study program requiring 5 sessions per week at 30 minutes daily, sold via WeChat payment. Designed for individual learners to easily acquire English language skills through the founder's natural acquisition method.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students pass language proficiency exams within 1-3 months of intensive practice
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Huawei App Store (华为应用市场)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 28 July 2017OllaQ was distributed through Huawei App Store with a co-marketing and co-distribution partnership focused on the Chinese education market. The partnership was announced in July 2017 across multiple Chinese financial and technology media outlets including NetEase Finance, China Economic Net, Hexun, and Sohu.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Duolingo: Global leader in mobile self-paced language learning with gamified lessons and a freemium model. Directly comparable to Olla's app-based language learning offering and freemium community layer, though Duolingo is far larger and focuses on self-study rather than live tutoring.
• Memrise: Vocabulary and conversational language learning app with community-created content. Comparable to Olla's self-study offering and community elements, and shares the freemium mobile-first distribution model.
• Babbel: Subscription-based self-paced language learning app with structured curriculum. Comparable to Olla's structured 8-week self-study courses and serves the same adult learner / professional advancement use case.
• Tandem: Language exchange app pairing learners for conversation practice with optional professional tutor sessions. Closely mirrors Olla's combined community + tutoring positioning, including the freemium-to-paid tutoring conversion motion.
• HelloTalk: Mobile language exchange community connecting native speakers for chat-based practice across many language pairs. Direct analog to Olla's group chat room / peer-to-peer exchange layer and its 60+ language support.
• Lingoda: Online group and private language classes with live teachers. Comparable to Olla's ollaQ live teacher practice sessions and to the structured intensive course format Olla offers, with a similar adult-professional learner focus.
• italki: Global marketplace for one-on-one online language tutoring with community teachers. Closely comparable to Olla's ollaQ teacher practice model, with similar GTM (direct-to-consumer, online payment) and overlapping learner persona (professionals and test-prep students).
• Cambly: On-demand video chat platform connecting learners with native English-speaking tutors. Comparable to Olla's live teacher practice component and target use case of building conversational confidence for exams and work.
• Preply: Online marketplace for 1-on-1 language tutoring with subscription packages. Comparable to Olla's recurring online tutoring revenue stream via ollaQ, and serves the same working-professional and test-prep segments.

Regional players

• 51Talk: China-based online English tutoring platform targeting K-12 and adult learners. Comparable as a Chinese-market language learning competitor with online tutoring at scale, but primarily focused on English for Chinese learners rather than multi-language exchange.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/olla90834240
• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=ZtNuT0Sb-Mc
• Facebookfacebook.com/imolla.olla
• Instagraminstagram.com/missolla.olla
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/between-information-and-technology

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Olla