Hype Kids, is an edtech in Nice that offers an innovative English learning model for children between the ages of 3 and 18. Founded five years ago, HiPe Kids stands out for its innovative and hyper-personalized teaching methods.
HiPe Kids’ journey has been remarkable both in terms of growth and impact. From 20 clients and 3 teachers in 2018, it now has over 5,000 clients a year and has built a team of 60 teachers.
Building on this success, the company aims to double the number of teachers by the end of the year to meet the growing demand. The startup now has 11 permanent employees.
In financial terms, HiPe Kids’ turnover doubles every year, reaching 400,000 euros, with an ambitious target of 1 million euros in the next financial year.
At the heart of this success is a philosophy of hyper-personalization that puts the human at the center of learning. This people-centric approach contributed to the company’s rapid growth in France.
The future of HiPe Kids looks promising with international expansion, technological innovations, especially in the field of artificial intelligence, the possibility of opening up part of its capital to welcome investors and strengthen its growth.
Interview with Carmina Cadena is the co-founder of HiPe Kids, an online English school.
What is the story of HiPe Kids?
Our history is deeply rooted in our passion for teaching English. For more than two decades, I have been teaching this language. Bilingual by birth, passing on this skill has always been a career. Before this adventure, I had already founded two companies dedicated to teaching. However, the idea of Hype Kids was born out of a clear vision to fill a gap in the education sector.
With this idea, I participated in the What06 Hackathon and won the Innovation Prize. I approached Mehdi Benrahhalate, the co-founder of HiPe Kids, and we created HiPe Kids five years ago without a logo or a platform, with an initial investment of 25,000 euros.
We were accompanied by some teachers and twenty students who were eager to try our method.
We were convinced that traditional education should be adapted to the needs of today’s world and the needs of today’s children. We wanted to diversify the way English education was delivered, away from a static model influenced by the industrial model of our economies.
What are the specific features of the HiPe Kids offer?
Our offer is differentiated by its ability to adapt to the individual needs of each student. Beyond teaching English, we have adopted a global approach to education. We don’t just judge students’ English ability; We also analyze their learning style, their motivations and their specific objectives. For example, we have found that many parents prefer to send their children to international schools. So we are able to specifically prepare these students for this transition.
Another unique aspect of our offering is the attention paid to neuro-differentiated students. We have observed that 43 to 47% of our students present dyslexic, dyspraxic, dysphasic or autism spectrum profiles. Faced with this reality, we have taken steps to recruit specially trained and certified teachers to meet these requirements. Each teacher is carefully selected based on their experience and qualifications to ensure that he or she is best suited to meet each student’s specific needs.
Also, we are working on developing technology tools to facilitate the process of connecting teachers and students. Currently this process is done manually, but we plan to automate this task in the coming months to ensure more accurate and efficient matching.
How does your location in the Nice Côte d’Azur metropolis contribute to your growth?
The Côte d’Azur, and Nice in particular, offers many advantages to our business. First, the region is a truly international hub that attracts people from all over the world. This cultural diversity is well suited to our target, allowing us to reach a diverse and cosmopolitan clientele.
The region is equipped with first-class infrastructure, especially a good airport, which greatly facilitates our travel for our projects in Paris or internationally. Personally, I travel frequently between France and the UK, and our location at the Flex-O complex opposite the airport is an invaluable asset to me.
In addition, the city offers a smooth commute between bicycle lanes and tramways. Metropolis’ initiatives respond to employees’ ongoing environmental concerns.
Additionally, the exceptional quality of life that Nice offers is a key recruiting asset. With its pleasant climate, beautiful landscapes and rich cultural heritage, this city attracts talent from all walks of life. This has allowed us to build a diverse and highly qualified team.
Finally, we also benefited from the support of local networks. Companies such as Réseau Entreprendre, Bpifrance and Village of CA have played a key role at different stages of our development, providing valuable advice and connecting us with other entrepreneurs and potential partners in the region.
What are your growth plans?
Our ambitions for the future are focused on expansion and innovation. First, we are considering opening a part of our capital. This is an important milestone for us as we are ready to welcome outside investors to reach new heights.
We are particularly interested in partners with expertise in education, technology and artificial intelligence. These areas are critical to our future growth.
Speaking of technology, we are exploring how the integration of artificial intelligence can enhance our offering. AI has the potential to revolutionize education by further personalizing learning and providing solutions tailored to each student. We look forward to seeing how we can use this technology to strengthen our value proposition.
Our ambition is not limited to France. We have plans for international expansion in Spain and Italy over the next two years. Proficiency in English is a globally sought-after skill, and we believe our unique approach to teaching will benefit students around the world.
Finally, we always focus on the needs of our students and their parents. We plan to develop new programs and services to meet specific needs, such as preparation for international schools or support for students with special educational needs.
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