- Myngle
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Myngle 
URL www.myngle.com Slogan Language lessons that come to you Commercial? Yes Type of site Virtual education Registration Required Available language(s) English, Spanish (Castellano), French, German, Italian, Russian, Owner Myngle, inc. Created by Marina Tognetti, Egbert van Keulen, Danilo da Silva, Valter Stoiani Launched Dec 2007 Current status official/paying Contents
Company
Myngle is a live online language learning website, based in Amsterdam in The Netherlands, allowing students and teachers to get one-on-one real time online lessons from wherever they are. This has resulted in students and teachers participating in over 150 countries.[citation needed]
Myngle is free for students and teachers to sign up. Myngle provides online live individual and group lessons[1], personalized packages, asynchronous products and free resources for a complete learning experience for Myngle students. Students pay Myngle directly and then the teachers receive their money from Myngle.
In 2010, Myngle passed the 100.000 registered students[citation needed] from 166 countries[citation needed]. Currently there are more than 200 active teachers, selected out of more than 6.000 applications.[citation needed] Myngle website content is localized in 6 languages: English, German, Spanish, Italian, French and Russian.
Sites similar to Myngle include Learnissimo, Edufire, and WiZiQ.
Quality
Myngle has a strict vetting policy for teachers, as well as training of teachers to teach online and use its online tools, and a system of student feedback.
History
Myngle was launched in December 2007, based on the experience of Marina Tognetti, the founder of Myngle, when she wanted to study Chinese. She found it hard to study Chinese because of the lack of qualified teachers in her area and a proper learning environment, as well as the flexibility needed to accommodate her busy working schedule.[citation needed] This gave Tognetti the idea to create a company where technology would allow students to take language lessons from teachers located in any part of the world. She resigned from her job at eBay, where she was a manager for 4 years, and together with 3 partners- Egbert van Keulen, Danilo da Silva, Valter Stoiani, Tognetti started Myngle.
Applications
Myngle uses a toolkit for synchronous learning, which consists of VoIP in combination with an integrated whiteboard, feedback and a community environment. Teachers also have the possibility to upload podcasts and other support learning material so that the student is able to study before class starts or do homework after the lesson. It is possible for students to pay at Myngle with a credit card (MasterCard, Visa, American Express), bank transfer or PayPal. For students located in Holland there is the additional possibility of paying with iDEAL.
Financing
In March 2009, Myngle secured €950,000 ($1.25 million) in the form of a bank loan from Rabobank. The Dutch government, through an innovation program, backed the loan. This was Myngle's second round of financing. On the first round Myngle was able to secure an €800,000 seed investment from the HenQ fund and private individuals.[2]
(Techcrunch article about bank loan : [1])
Awards
-Nominated for Best European Web Application or Service EMEA in Techcrunch The Europa’s Tech Awards in July 2009
-FEM Business[3] Top 5 Start up Media in The Netherlands, in June 2009
-Plugg[4] 2009 People’s choice award, in March 2009
-Best ICT Company at the European Venture Summit[5], in December 2008
-Accenture[6] Innovation award in October 2008
-One of 33 hot dutch web 2.0 companies in August 2008
-Most promising ICT Company in Benelux, in March 2008
References
- ^ http://www.kirstenwinkler.com/soon-on-myngle-classes-with-up-to-five-students/
- ^ http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/03/04/language-e-learning-startup-myngle-secures-e1-million-euros/
- ^ http://www.fembusiness.nl/web/artikelSmal/44964/FEM-Tech-25-Media.htm
- ^ http://uk.techcrunch.com/2009/03/12/plugg-wraps-with-two-very-capable-winnners/
- ^ http://thenextwomen.com/2008/12/10/myngle-wins-another-prize-at-european-venture-summit/
- ^ http://www.accenture-nl.com/innovation-awards/flashyes?page=1&taal=UK
External links
Categories:- Social networking language education websites
- Educational websites
- Global internet community
- Internet properties established in 2007
- Social networking services
- Web 2.0
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
