companies

Squirrel AI Learning

Chinese adaptive-learning company running an AI tutoring engine through thousands of licensed learning centers personalizing K-12 instruction.

Squirrel AI Learning was founded in 2014 by Derek Haoyang Li, headquartered in Shanghai with an AI research team based in Seattle and curriculum development in the Los Angeles area. It was among the first companies to commercialize AI-adaptive K-12 education at scale in China, delivered largely through a network of thousands of licensed learning centers rather than a purely direct-to-consumer app. Its core product, the Intelligent Adaptive Learning System, diagnoses a student's knowledge gaps down to granular sub-skills within math, English, and science, then sequences micro-lessons and practice to close them, tracking hundreds of narrow knowledge points rather than a single grade-level score. In 2024 the company introduced a newer engine it calls a Large Adaptive Model behind that diagnostic and sequencing process. Squirrel AI has raised roughly $194 million from investors including New Oriental Education and NGP Capital, reaching unicorn valuation, and reports tens of millions of registered students along with published research partnerships on AI-driven personalization outcomes.

Founded

2014

Headquarters

Shanghai, China

Sector

applications