HiPeKids in Nice is celebrating five years of its (successful) model of learning English differently

The French have a bad level of English. This is not Carmina Catana, the founder of the online English school HiPeKids Who says so in Nice in 2018, but the studies carried out on the subject. 85% of French people do not have the required B2 level at the end of the final year. A level associated with “advanced” understanding of language.
With an English mother and a French father, Carmina Catena holds a bachelor’s degree in applied linguistics and knows the importance of the English language in today’s society. “Between the ages of three and six, you can get a mother tongue background”she insists.

His accent

This way, we can learn like our parents’ language with a teacher with a native English accent. “Only, with thirty students per class and varying appetites and motivations, The founder of HiPeKids explains, Learning a language properly is difficult. A particularly communicative and ungrammatical approach is required. With teachers with native accents. It is indispensable and rare in France.” He then came up with the idea of ​​creating a school to teach English in a different way. In 2017, he approached a friend, Mehdi Benrahalet, and in 2018, they opened their site from Nice with 25,000 euros, their goodwill and their address book: Carmina Catena taught English for twenty years and was a consultant at the University of Cambridge.

Over-customization

Online English courses for ages 3-18. Taking into account all levels and above all, all neurotypes. “That’s really our strength: the hyper-personalization of our learning formulas. We know how to do that with gifted kids, dyslexics, autistic disorder, etc. We have qualified teachers that are tailored to each child.”
HiPeKids also caters for adults who need to take the TOEFL or TOEIC and foreigners who need to learn the language before accepting a position in Australia, the UK or elsewhere. But the core of the customer is kids with monthly packages that want to sign up for 4, 8 or 12 lessons per month and per family.
In 2018, the startup launched with twenty clients and three teachers. Today, it has more than 5,000 customers a year. “This represents around 500 families every month, 60% of whom have entrusted at least two children to us.” To keep the machine running, 60 teachers now collaborate with a team of ten employees. “We plan to recruit 60 more by the end of the year to meet demand.”

Target Spain and Italy

Satisfy the need and absorb the projects of Carmina Catena above all! Highlights include a new, completely revamped platform and mobile app within two months. “From 2024, we are opening the site to Spain, and in 2025, to Italy. In these two countries, the training location [payer des cours supplémentaires, ndlr] Twice as important as France, it’s our test market.” Pass the exam!
For now, it’s time to recruit new teachers. Checked by the boss, then Collett, director of research. About a hundred CVs arrive every month. how much Yes! HiPekids’ reputation precedes it: teachers retain great freedom in the teaching they deliver after in-house training, and participate in the life of the structure. They can run blogs, propose collaborative projects…all in the service of their students’ progress.

A new investor?

Until last year, HiPeKids did not need bank help to grow. But because the development is coming fast, Bpifrance of CA Provence Côte d’Azur, Réseau Entreprendre and the village supported. “We are well-monitored and calmly look forward to the future, Boss smiles. Since we founded HiPeKids, turnover has doubled every year and today reaches 400,000 euros, with a target of 1 million in the next financial year.” Note that an investor contacted them to further the movement. Negotiations are ongoing.
A great birthday to a team that is passionate about teaching English to every child in a different way. “We think our method changes something by leaving humans at the center.”
Yes she can.

> hipekids.com/