30 Fastest Growing Companies in Asia 2019 30 Fastest Growing Companies in Asia 2019 | Page 54

Derek Haoyang Li, Squirrel AI Learning Intelligent Adaptive Education
by Yixue Group Founder: ‘We Created an AI-Powered Virtual Tutor
Engine, which Diagnoses and Remediates Each Individual Student’s
Knowledge Gaps in Real-Time While a Student is Learning and Practicing’
O
ne of the greatest challenges
with regards to education is
that people learn differently
and at different rates. Students go
through the education system with
differing levels of learning ability
and aptitude. Some are more adept
at ‘left brain’ thinking with skills
for analytical thought, while others
are more skilled at ‘right-brain’
thinking with creative, literary, and
communicative ability. Others are
challenged in different ways with
physical and mental disabilities, or
skill sets that differ from one region of
the world to another, facing challenges
in re-learning new languages and
alphabets.
In light of the foregoing, we’re pleased
to present Squirrel AI Learning
Intelligent Adaptive Education (by
Yixue Group).
Derek Haoyang Li, Founder
“As each student is
by nature different in
character, knowledge,
and capacity, we are
solving the generic
problem of dealing with
these differences using
the adaptive approach.”
Squirrel AI Learning is the first
artificial intelligence company in China
to apply AI-powered adaptive learning
technology to K12 education. Squirrel
AI Learning successfully developed
the first artificial intelligence
adaptive learning engine with
completely independent intellectual
property rights and advanced
algorithms. Squirrel AI Learning is
a student-centered intelligent and
personalized education platform.
It applies artificial intelligence
technology in the education process
of teaching, learning, evaluation,
testing, and training. On the basis of
simulating excellent teachers, it can
even surpass experienced teachers.
Moreover, the platform offers a human
teacher model that is designed to
teach students in accordance with
their aptitude, effectively solve the
problems of the high cost of traditional
education, the lack of resources for
teachers, and low learning efficiency.
Squirrel AI Learning has a new
business model of online AI course
and physical learning center. It has
nearly approached two million
students and more than 2000 learning
centers in the last three years. The
2018 annual revenue including
headquarter and national learning
centers is one billion RMB (150 Million
USD). The year of 2019 is 1.6 billion
RMB (Revenue 232 million USD). It is
now worth almost 1.5 Billion USD and
is already an AI Education Unicorn.
Squirrel AI Learning was established
in 2014 and is headquartered in
Shanghai, China.
Derek Haoyang Li,
Squirrel AI Learning
Founder, spoke
exclusively
to The Silicon Review.
Below is an excerpt.
Rewind: Taking Flight
Squirrel AI Learning was founded
by Derek Haoyang Li when he
recognized the need to study the
learning development of children
and indicate where strengths and
weaknesses present themselves.
For Mr. Li, education is an incredibly
important asset in the life of a child
and his goal has always been to give
the best opportunities possible for
them to excel. When asked why
Squirrel AI Learning became an idea
to pursue, Mr. Li explained: “Some of
the reasons came from my background
and experience, especially when I was