Sports Coaching Platform TeachMe.To Raises $2M in Seed Funding
TeachMe.To, a San Diego-based provider of a lesson hub for beginners, has raised $2 million in seed funding, led by 1984 Ventures and with participation from Common Metal, Alumni Ventures, as well as a syndicate of angel investors, including Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI; Ben Lauzier, former VP of Product & Growth at Thumbtack; Vivek Patel, former CPO at Yelp; and Brent Turner, President of Rover.
TeachMe.To was established in late 2021 to make it easier for people to explore new sports or hobbies by streamlining the scheduling procedure. The platform connects beginner athletes with local coaches, providing tailored lessons and a seamless booking process. It aims to empower coaches and assist them in establishing successful coaching businesses. Through democratization and accessibility, the firm is revolutionizing sports education and enabling individuals to start playing with confidence.
The startup provides access to local lessons in over 100 US cities. It connects beginner athletes with vetted coaches specializing in various sports, including pickleball, tennis, golf, surfing, and boxing. Each lesson is tailored to the individual student’s goals, ensuring a personalized learning experience. TeachMe.To also offers complimentary insurance and a “Love Your Lesson” money-back guarantee, giving students peace of mind.
Speaking about the company and its mission, Chief Executive Officer of TeachMe.To Nick O’Brien said: “I’m incredibly proud of what our team has accomplished in such a short period, already serving nearly every U.S. city with hundreds of lessons booked daily. Over the next year, we’ll continue to establish ourselves as the best place to book sports lessons while beginning to open up even more skills – from clarinet to cooking. We want to become the first place you go when you get that itch that it might be time to try something new.”
Additionally, TeachMe.To aims to assist coaches in building their client portfolios or entering the teaching profession. It offers free filming sessions to coaches, allowing them to create “Vet’ Em Videos” to showcase their experience, qualifications, teaching philosophy, and reasons for coaching. By reducing the barriers to entry for coaches, the organization is committed to fostering opportunities and success in the coaching industry.
It handles the business aspects of coaching, alleviating coaches’ financial burden and allowing them to focus on teaching. Coaches are only charged a one-time matchmaking fee based on demand and location with TeachMe.To taking a 20% commission. The top instructors on the platform currently earn $5,000 per month, and it envisions coaches taking home over $2,000,000 by the end of 2023.
Ramy Adeeb, Founder and General Partner at 1984 Ventures, commented:”The pandemic made us more homebound than ever: the sofa turned into the cinema, and the bedroom became the office – but people are now eager to venture out, have new experiences and learn new skills. TeachMe.To is the first step in getting started. And fascinatingly, while sports lessons might seem like a solved problem at first glance, it’s ripe for disruption under the hood. Beyond these tailwinds, we were compelled to invest because of the team. The team has uncovered many counterintuitive marketplace insights and quickly scaled the business to five sports and 100 cities. We’re excited to support them as they become the premiere destination for in-person lessons.”
With this funding, the company plans to launch a dedicated app for students and expand its range of skills and sports offerings. Soon, it will launch a separate app for learners, enabling them to track their progress, receive video feedback from coaches, and enhance their learning experience. The platform also intends to create a Duolingo-like learning environment to accelerate students’ progress.
TeachMe.To has ambitious aspirations to expand its skill offerings, including boxing, piano, fitness, and dance classes. The portal aspires to be a one-stop shop for people seeking new hobbies or sports. With its focus on inclusivity and accessibility, the startup aims to democratize sports and enable participants to engage confidently and passionately.
