12 November 2024
Snap, Learn, Repeat
Pictures are now worth a thousand words (in another language), thanks to Lingosnap, an innovative instructional platform for mastering new tongues.
Lalia co-founders Mr Francis Lee (left) and Mr Phang Wei Jun at BLOCK71 Singapore
Picking up a new language can be very challenging for people with different learning needs. Traditional language learning methods often rely on static curricula and rote learning, which can be disengaging and ineffective for many learners.
Lingosnap, a cutting-edge language learning app by Lalia Private Limited, is making waves in the world of education with the clever use of generative AI. Lingosnap is designed to make learning languages more engaging and interactive. Through its innovative app, users can take photos of objects or landmarks of interest to them, which are then converted into vocabulary used in the context of a sentence.
Additionally, the app colour-codes sentences to help Lingosnap users learn sentence structures and grammar rules. This method not only personalises the learning experience but also keeps users motivated by integrating their everyday experiences and interests into the language learning process.
Mr Phang Wei Jun (Design and Environment ’20), CEO of Lingosnap, explained, “We want to make learning a new language as enjoyable as possible for the users so that they won’t feel the pain they had in the past through traditional methods.”
Setting a new standard for language education by prioritising engagement and practicality, Lingosnap’s AI-driven features create a learning environment that adapts to the learner’s individual experiences and preferences. “By using the technologies that we have today,” shared Mr Francis Lee (Computer Engineering ’20), CTO of Lingosnap, “we can give agency to the learner to customise their learning and make the experience more personal.”
Speed-dating worked for Lingosnap’s founders
The founders, who met through a ‘speed dating’ session within the NUS Graduate Research Innovation Programme (GRIP), explored the idea for Lingosnap from shared personal struggles with language learning and a desire to solve learning roadblocks using technology. The session paired entrepreneurs with similar ideas and complementary skills to take the next steps in their entrepreneurial journey.
During the initial stages of their company, the founders visited schools in Japan, not just in major towns but also in rural areas, teaching English to children. Mr Phang recounted, "We travelled to a small town east of Nagoya and climbed 30 minutes up a mountain to teach in a small school. When we got there, the children were learning English using Singapore landmarks. It was fascinating to see how excited they were when they understood the context of their learning through our presence there as Singaporeans. This experience made us realise the importance of ‘context’ in language learning and inspired us to create a tool that allows learners to create their own context to learn a language."
This blend of experiences and motivations set the foundation for Lingosnap's mission: to bridge the gap between struggling language learners and fluency.
Lingosnap’s learning album stores images and vocabulary, making it easy for users to review and reinforce their new language skills.
Mr Lee emphasised, “In the app, users can take pictures, which will be converted into vocabulary and learning points in their learning album. Over time, they can use these key phrases to practice, and we can generate more material with sentences or related vocabulary to interact with the material better.”
No one can prepare you to be an entrepreneur
Starting a tech-driven language learning company comes with its challenges. The founders shared that the journey involved overcoming numerous hurdles, from product development to scaling the solution. They emphasised the importance of mentorship and collaboration within the NUS ecosystem, which helped them navigate the complexities of running a start-up. The diverse skill sets within their team - balancing technical and business expertise - were crucial in building a sustainable and scalable company.
Lingosnap has also benefitted from THE HANGAR, NUS Enterprise’s on-campus incubator, and the Generative AI Accelerate Programme launched by NUS Enterprise (through BLOCK71) and Microsoft.
Mr Lee noted, "No one can prepare you to be an entrepreneur. We received quite a bit of mentorship and workshops that gave us a crash course on all the jargon and technicalities of the company. We’re glad to have received support from the ecosystem, which we still benefit from today."
Lingosnap is continuously evolving, with plans to add more languages in their suite and new features such as speaking practice, which will teach users how to speak naturally, modelled after native speakers. This feature, developed with insights from experienced language lecturers at NUS, aims to enhance users’ pronunciation and long-term retention, making the learning experience even more effective.
This article first appeared in Issue #43 (Oct - Dec 2024) of SPARKS, a publication of NUS Enterprise.