SpeakX.ai Launches $1 Million ESOP Buyback for Employees

SpeakX.ai, the Generative AI-powered English-speaking platform, has announced its inaugural Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) buyback program valued at $1 million.

In a move that signals a growing trend of early wealth creation within the Indian startup landscape, the edtech company is providing early liquidity to a significant portion of its staff.

Inclusive Wealth Creation for Employees

The buyback program is notable for its inclusivity, directly benefiting 15 of the company’s 20 employees, representing a substantial 75% of its current workforce.

This broad participation underscores SpeakX’s commitment to sharing value across the organization, rather than restricting such opportunities to senior leadership.

The initiative follows closely on the heels of the company’s recent $16 million pre-Series B funding round.

Speaking about the program, Arpit Mittal, Founder of SpeakX.ai, emphasized the importance of equity as a true wealth creation lever in the startup journey.

“While salary matters, the real financial upside comes from the equity you build and eventually liquidate,” Arpit stated.

He added, “We want to create a system where value is shared fairly and early, not just at the time of a big funding round.”

SpeakX.ai ESOP Program Structure and Future Outlook

The comprehensive ESOP program at SpeakX is designed to reward performance, tenure, and long-term commitment.

Employees who complete two years with the company are allocated ESOPs with a generous 10-year exercise window, offering significant long-term flexibility.

Currently, the 20-member team collectively holds 6% equity in the company.

SpeakX plans to maintain this structured, merit-driven buyback mechanism in future cycles and expand the ESOP pool as the company scales and raises new rounds of capital.

This approach positions the company strongly in the competitive market for top AI and EdTech talent by offering a more tangible and earlier financial reward than typically seen in the sector.

A Focus on Growth and AI-Driven Education

SpeakX.ai, formerly known as Yellow Class, successfully pivoted in 2023 to its current GenAI-first model.

The platform offers an AI tutor that simulates real-world conversations, providing real-time automated speech correction.

It also includes adaptive difficulty and multilingual support for English learners.

The focus on a scalable, AI-driven solution has led to impressive growth metrics.

The company reports a Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) payback period of just one day, along with a Lifetime Value (LTV) to CAC ratio of 3.7x within six months.

Additionally, it maintains a solid 35% retention rate at Month 3.

These figures highlight a strong product-market fit and a path toward sustainable, profitable growth.

Following its latest funding, SpeakX is targeting $100 crore (approximately $12 million) in annual EBITDA by 2026.

The company also holds aspirations to build a $300–400 million business in India within the next two to three years.

The ESOP buyback is a strategic investment in the team driving this ambitious vision.

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