How Speak Built a $1B AI Language Learning App
From Subversive by Phil Carter
February 5, 2026 · 46 min
About this episode
Connor Zwick discusses the creation and success of Speak, an AI language learning app.
Connor Zwick is the cofounder and CEO of Speak, a billion dollar app that is reinventing digital language learning by getting users into real conversations with AI-powered voices. Connor started Speak in 2016 with cofounder Andrew Hsu. Prior to founding Speak, Connor built his first startup called Flashcards+ when he was still in high school and eventually sold it to Chegg. He then went to Harvard, but dropped out to become a Thiel Fellow and found another startup called Coco Controller. Key...
People in this episode
Host: Phil Carter
Guest: Connor Zwick
Topics covered
- AI
- language learning
- startups
- entrepreneurship
- technology
Keywords
- AI language learning
- Speak app
- Connor Zwick
- entrepreneurship
- Thiel Fellow
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Speak, Chegg, Harvard, Coco Controller
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