Efekta reaches five million learners three years after launch

The 2026 ETIH Innovation Awards winner now supports 250,000 teachers worldwide, with government-backed deployments spanning Latin America, Africa and Asia

Efekta Education has passed 5 million active learners three years after launching its AI-powered learning platform

Efekta Education has passed five million active learners just three years after launch, as the UK-based AI education company expands its work with governments and education systems across Latin America, Africa and Asia.

The milestone comes alongside a growing teacher footprint. Efekta says its platform now supports 250,000 teachers worldwide, with deployments ranging from large-scale English learning programs in Brazil to teacher development initiatives in East Africa.

A spin-out of EF Education First, Efekta launched in July 2023 under CEO Dr Stephen Hodges. Since then, it has established government partnerships in countries including Brazil, Cambodia, the Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, the Philippines, Rwanda, Somaliland, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. 

Its growth is being accompanied by early evidence from some of those deployments. In Paraná, Brazil, state English assessments found that 750,000 students with access to Efekta improved their results by 32.5% within two years, according to the company.

Brazil has become one of Efekta's largest markets. The program has expanded from Paraná into Mato Grosso, São Paulo, Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul and Rondônia, where more than four million students now use its tools for self-study, immersive video learning and classroom support.

Philippines pilot points to gains in spoken English

A separate four-month pilot in the Philippines involved 2,500 learners and focused on spoken English.

Efekta says participating students increased the number of unique words they used by 50%, speaking speed by 40% and average sentence length by 30%.

Following the pilot, the program could be expanded to reach 500,000 students across the country, including through the platform's offline capabilities.

The company has also run pilots in Cambodia and Indonesia as it builds its presence across Southeast Asia.

Hodges says the scale reached over the first three years reflects the company's original aim of using AI to extend more individualized learning across large education systems: “Three years ago, we set out to demonstrate that AI could help teachers deliver more personalised, effective learning at a scale that was previously impossible. Today, we are seeing that vision become a reality through partnerships with governments, educational institutions and employers around the world.”

He adds: “As we continue to expand into new countries, subjects, and learning environments, our focus remains the same: helping teachers reach more learners, improve outcomes and broaden access to high-quality education.”

Rwanda program focuses on teacher English proficiency

In East Africa, Efekta is working with the Pharo Foundation across Somaliland, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Kenya to improve English proficiency and communication skills among teachers.

The program began in December 2025 and has since expanded in Rwanda, where Efekta is being used to support education professionals as the system continues its transition from French to English.

The initiative is focused on helping teachers reach at least B2 English proficiency under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Rwanda has a student-to-teacher ratio of 59:1, more than twice the global average, according to UNESCO figures cited by Efekta. The wider East African program is expected to reach 150,000 beneficiaries by the end of 2026.

Inside classrooms, Efekta has continued developing its agentic teaching tools for both students and teachers.

Its teaching companion is designed to provide students with individualized support based on their strengths, areas of difficulty and learning patterns. A separate agentic teaching assistant supports teachers with lesson planning, progress analysis and identifying students who may need additional help.

The company is also moving beyond school-based learning. Through EF Corporate Learning, its technology is used for workplace English and skills training, with organizations including Amazon, McDonald’s and Nike named among users of the platform.

New leadership supports next phase of growth

Efekta has also expanded its leadership team and advisory board as its international deployments grow.

Its advisory board includes former prime ministers José Manuel Barroso and Mari Kiviniemi, Sir Nick Clegg and Meta technology leader Deepak Agarwal. Stefania Giannini, former UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, has joined as President of Government Relations.

The company also recently appointed Matt Fisher as Chief Technology Officer. Fisher previously held AI and data leadership roles at Microsoft before co-founding AI commerce platform Daydream.

Efekta says it is now expanding beyond English-language learning into higher education, adult learning and additional subject areas.

Its East African teacher program is expected to provide one of the next major scale points, with the Pharo Foundation partnership targeting 150,000 beneficiaries by the end of 2026.