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Hannah Wright

Lingo Legend is a mobile game that combines language learning challenges with captivating game experiences inspired by the ones we love to play. We believe that staying motivated is one of the biggest hurdles in language learning, and so our mission is to make a learning experience so enjoyable that you stick with it long enough to reach your goals. Our small but dedicated team is passionate about learning and gaming, and we are pushing the boundaries of what an educational game can offer.

Tell us about yourself?

I consider myself a lifelong learner, and I’ve found my place as an operational leader in the world of Educational Gaming. In my previous role as Head of Partnerships with Prodigy Education, I had the chance to work closely with school boards across North America, getting a firsthand understanding of the needs and challenges of bringing technology into the classroom. It’s been an eye-opening experience, witnessing how technology, and specifically games, can keep learners motivated and meet them right where they are. I genuinely believe that learning through gaming holds tremendous potential for learners of all ages. It’s an exciting field, and I’m all about constantly pushing for new ideas and improvements.

If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?

We launched just over a year ago, so, of course, there are a number of things I would love to go back and tell myself after having the hindsight of being in the market for 12 months. However, I am genuinely proud of our ability to adapt and respond to user feedback, as well as our agility in shaping the product and refining our marketing strategies. I think I probably would give myself a little nudge to get a head start on thinking about the next phase of our game and how that could incorporate some of the remarkable advancements emerging from the AI realm.

What problem does your business solve?

Learning a language can be a daunting journey, and unfortunately, many people give up before reaching their goals. It requires years of dedication, hard work, and the ability to persevere through learning plateaus. We strongly believe that maintaining engagement is a crucial element for success, and that’s where Lingo Legend comes in.

For intermediate or advanced learners, diving into movies or books is an awesome way to stay engaged, but this doesn’t work as well for beginners. When you’re just starting out, understanding and enjoying most forms of entertainment can be a struggle. The less comprehension you have, the less engaging it will be. As a beginner, it’s really hard to find content that balances engagement and learning effectively. That’s the problem we are solving with Lingo Legend.

What is the inspiration behind your business?

As a founding team, we share a deep understanding of the challenging path that language learning entails. We’ve all personally experienced the frustration of giving up, starting over, and then giving up again on learning a language. On top of that, we’re all avid gamers who know that intense anticipation of immersing ourselves in our favourite games, ready to grind away for hours. By merging the worlds of language learning and gaming, we’re determined to eliminate the barriers that learners face in actually achieving their goals.

What is your magic sauce?

While the idea of making learning fun and engaging is not groundbreaking, the execution often falls short. For years, apps have been making these promises, but the offerings have largely been limited to streaks, badges, and mini-games, particularly in the realm of language learning. Lingo Legend is here to shake things up by taking a different approach. We go beyond simple gamification elements and seamlessly integrate learning into a genuine video game experience. This means that learners can immerse themselves in a video game they genuinely enjoy while simultaneously acquiring knowledge. It’s a fresh and exciting way to learn that aligns with their true interests, and the opportunities are endless when it comes to the types of learning and game experiences we can create.

What is the plan for the next 5 years? What do you want to achieve?

Over the next five years, our focus is on expanding our game offerings, making sure they cater to a wide range of gamers with different preferences. We want to go beyond the usual language learning methods and provide an extensive selection of interactive experiences that keep learners motivated and engaged. We will work to continually improve the quality and effectiveness of our educational content. By leveraging the power of games and cutting-edge technology, we believe there is a huge opportunity to develop innovative approaches that enhance language acquisition and help learners develop practical skills for real-life situations. We’ll also introduce new languages to our platform, including the option to learn English from various other languages.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?

10 years ago, it was a daunting task to bring a mobile game to life. But at that time, the App and Play Stores hosted only a handful of apps, making it relatively easy to capture users’ attention. Fast forward to today, the process of game creation has become more streamlined and efficient. However, the landscape has dramatically changed, and with millions of apps vying for visibility, it’s substantially more difficult to stand out from the crowd. Our primary challenge has been cutting through the noise on the app stores and effectively expanding our user base. We have dedicated significant efforts to mastering user acquisition (UA) strategies, exploring various avenues ranging from organic social media engagement to press outreach and paid advertising. We are continuously working to discover the perfect blend to reach our target audience.

How can people get involved?

You can check out Lingo Legend for free on the App Store apple.co/3AKmqwW and the Play Store or get more information on our website at www.lingolegend.com.