Novakid launches NovaPals, an AI-native conversational app designed for independent English-speaking practice
- AI-native conversational partner delivering 24/7 English speaking practice with an adaptive curriculum based on CEFR standards
- Designed with AI from the ground up, not retrofitted, leveraging Novakid's proven years teaching hundreds of thousand students across the globe and through millions of lessons
- Targets the 'excluded middle': learners aged 13+ who have outgrown children's apps but aren't ready for adult tools
- Powered by AI technology proven on the field via Novakid's in-house AI tutor "Pandy", used by students worldwide
SAN FRANCISCO, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Novakid, the award-winning online English school for children, launched NovaPals, an AI-first conversational English app designed to give learners an unlimited and independent speaking practice. Unlike traditional language learning tools focused on grammar drills or vocabulary exercises, NovaPals delivers real-time conversations with an AI partner that adapts to proficiency level, remembers previous interactions, and guides learners through a structured CEFR-aligned curriculum.
The app addresses a critical gap in language education: learners who have moved beyond simplified children's content but aren't yet comfortable with adult-level tools. NovaPals provides judgment-free speaking practice accessible anytime, anywhere, making it particularly valuable for students with limited access to live tutors or structured classroom conversation time. As such, NovaPals is the perfect companion for children, teens, and all those who need extra speaking practice.
What sets NovaPals apart is its foundation: the app is built AI-native, architected around Novakid's proprietary conversational AI agents. The agents draw on almost 10 years of human-designed curriculum expertise delivered to hundreds of thousand students and over 20 million lessons. Rather than offering an open-ended chatbot, NovaPals guides learners through purposeful conversations with defined learning objectives and built-in assessment tracking.
"We've spent years building the best human-led English curriculum for children," said Max Azarov, CEO and co-founder of Novakid. "NovaPals represents our next evolution: taking that expertise and reimagining it for an AI-native experience. This isn't AI layered onto traditional content, it's a product designed from day one around what conversational AI does best: personalized and adaptive practice at scale."
NovaPals builds on insights taken from Pandy, Novakid's AI tutor deployed to support between-lesson practice. Real-world experience and practice revealed that AI-driven interactions often encourage learners to speak more frequently and with greater confidence, particularly when the AI partner provides consistent encouragement without social pressure or judgment.
The app features a cast of friendly and approachable characters that learners interact with over time, creating a sense of connection and accountability similar to the social contract that makes human tutoring effective. Gamification is integrated from day one in order to provide students with a fun and engaging experience.
"Our initial AI Tutor tests showed us that younger learners genuinely bonded with AI tutoring," said Chris Kemsley, Product Lead for NovaPals. "That made us ask: what could that look like for other students not finding the learning solution tailored to their needs? For us, it meant combining three things: expert human curriculum design, a product they actually want to use, and emulating the social contract between learner and tutor. The result is NovaPals."
NovaPals represents a strategic expansion of Novakid's learning ecosystem, designed to scale beyond the current market for human-led, synchronous tutoring. By offering both teacher-led instruction and AI-powered independent practice, Novakid provides learners with a full array of learning options: human teachers for structured lessons and feedback as well as AI partners for daily study and confidence building.
NovaPals is available for download on iOS and Android.
About Novakid
Novakid is a leading online English learning platform for young learners, and one of the fastest-growing EdTech companies globally. A US company, with a head office in London, this Series B startup has raised $41.5 million in funding from leading global investors, and is trusted by over 990,000 families across 50+ countries.
Novakid membership offers parents an easy and affordable way to get their kids to practice English regularly by participating in online international activities they love. Regular practice complements their academic studies at school, builds confidence and expands opportunities.
Novakid offers multiple ways to learn, adapting to every child - cute Pandy (our AI tutor), group workshops with certified teachers, live streams, and individual 1:1 classes for most serious learners.
AI is at the core of how Novakid personalises learning: matching students to the right teacher, adapting lesson pacing, tracking progress against Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) standards, and creating individual learning journeys.
Novakid's approach works. On average, 96% of students improve their English within 6 months. 75% show results from month 1, and most pass assessments on the first or second try.
Novakid website: https://novakidschool.com
NovaPals website: https://novapals.ai/en
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