YAHO LAB is the operator of tudy, a 1:1 in-home learning solution for early childhood and primary education in Vietnam. It was founded in June 2021 by CEO Youngwook Kwon (41) and COO Seonhee Yoon (33).
Under the slogan "Education at Your Doorstep," tudy is an EdTech company that offers an Education-as-a-Service (EaaS) platform, allowing parents to book tutoring sessions online and receive in-home learning services offline.
"It follows Daekyo's 'Noonnoppi' model, a home learning system that has already been validated in Korea. tudy ensures standardized and personalized tutoring by using AI-generated lesson plans, created based on student data, and delivered by rigorously trained and certified tutors. This minimizes inconsistencies in tutor quality and enhances learning outcomes. Currently, our services are available in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi."
Since 2024, tudy has initiated direct sales targeting apartment complexes, where the core target customer base resides. "Vietnamese customers are unfamiliar with the in-home learning model. Since education is a high-involvement service for their children, many parents are inclined to stick with their existing learning methods. That's why we meet with customers in person, explaining the benefits of our model and helping them understand its value."
Kwon stated, "To scale up, we analyzed the market to validate nationwide sales channels and found that 'math competitions' were the area of greatest interest among Vietnamese parents, students, and schools. To test our national sales channels, we sourced content from our investor, Daekyo, for the ELMO International Math Competition and collaborated with the Ho Chi Minh Department of Education to become the first foreign company in Vietnam to host an international math competition."
"Our initial KPI aimed to recruit 20 schools and 1,000 students, but within just three weeks, the competition attracted 150 schools and 4,000 students, leading to an early closure of registrations. Following the successful competition, inquiries surged by over 534%, and revenue increased by more than 30%. In 2025, YAHO LAB plans to make the competition a recurring event while also considering regional expansion."
YAHO LAB is currently in the Pre-Series A investment stage and plans to focus on technology development and marketing, with the goal of reaching KRW 15 billion in revenue by 2026.
"YAHO LAB has gained recognition from both Korean and international investors for its business model and performance. Our Korean investors include The Invention Lab, Korea Investment Accelerator, Jones & Rocket, and Daekyo. Internationally, we have secured investments from Singapore-based Eduspaze and LA-based VC TanTan Global."
How did CEO Youngwook Kwon start YAHO LAB? "My wife and I co-founded the company as parents of two daughters. After moving to Vietnam, we both worked full-time, and as our children reached school age, we needed a trusted caregiver for the two to three hours after school. We questioned whether this was a problem faced only by expatriate families or a broader issue in Vietnam. We quickly recruited 20 families to test the service, and within a short period, 50% of them expressed a willingness to pay for it. That’s when I decided to resign from my job of 16 years and invest my severance package into launching the business. As the service progressed over time, parents' usage patterns and demands gradually shifted toward education. Their true need was their children's learning, leading the service to evolve from a caregiving model to an educational solution, ultimately growing into the in-home learning platform, tudy.”
Reflecting on his entrepreneurial journey, Kwon shared: "I feel the most fulfilled when parents give us positive feedback. Since children directly use our service, we constantly receive feedback. Hearing kids say they enjoy studying with their tutors is always rewarding."
YAHO LAB currently has a team of 16 members across Korea and Vietnam, including the three co-founders. Looking ahead, CEO Kwon outlined the company’s goals: "By 2026, we aim to reach 15,000 subscription-based courses and enroll 35,000 students, achieving KRW 15 billion in revenue. By 2028, we plan to refine our in-home learning solution further and introduce an integrated online-offline blended education model, scaling up to 160,000 monthly course subscriptions and generating KRW 100 billion in annual revenue."
Founded: June 2021
Core Business: 1:1 in-home learning services for early childhood and primary education in Vietnam
Key Achievements: Secured investments from The Invention Lab and Korea Investment Accelerator in 2022; Secured investments from Jones & Rocket, The Invention Lab, Daekyo, and Korea Credit Guarantee Fund (seed funding) in 2023; Selected for Early-Stage Startup Package, K-Startup Center, Global Accelerating Programs; Ranked in Top 50 at Vietnam’s largest startup event, Startup Wheel, and Tech in Asia’s 50 Rising Startups in Vietnam; Featured on Shark Tank Vietnam Season 6; Selected for Singapore's 1st EdTech Accelerator Eduspaze Cohort 8, and secured investment; Ranked in Tech in Asia's Top 10 Rising Startups in Vietnam; Selected for Woori Financial Group’s DinnoLab 5th Cohort; Selected as a Top 4 startup in the Shinhan Square Bridge program; Selected for Incheon Center for Creative Economy & Innovation’s Youth Global Launchpad Program; Selected for the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' K-Innovation Delegation; Successfully hosted the 2024 Vietnam ELMO International Math Competition; Achieved 360% revenue growth in 2024 compared to 2023
reporter jinho lee
jinho2323@hankyung.com
