Kazoo Technology, a Hong Kong company that aims to make learning Chinese more enjoyable for young children, is winning over teachers, students and parents with its experiential platform Turtle Learn.
Turtle Learn’s products blend tactile play, voice recognition and AI-assisted feedback to offer an engaging alternative to repetitive drills and rote memorisation.
These immersive learning materials – designed for kids between three and 12 years old and based on international proficiency frameworks – have already been adopted by more than 100 schools and NGOs in Hong Kong.
Now, Turtle Learn is expanding overseas, starting in major ASEAN markets where governments and parents increasingly recognise Chinese as an economic and cultural asset.
“Our primary opportunity lies in meeting the growing demand for high-quality Chinese-language instruction across Asia, particularly in countries, such as Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia,” explains Kendall Lo, Kazoo Technology’s Co-Founder and CEO.
Two franchisees, Kiddo and KiddiHub, have already set up Turtle Learn learning centres in Jakarta and Hanoi, respectively. These local teaching hubs run their own classes, while providing courses to nearby kindergartens and schools.
Kazoo Technology is also working directly with international schools in Malaysia and Singapore, while remaining open to future franchise partnerships in these markets.
A potential launch in Thailand is on the cards for next year.
The medium-term goal is 100 learning centres across ASEAN over the next five years.
Once the ASEAN base is secured, Mr Lo sees potential to take Turtle Learn’s proprietary learning kits, platform and curriculum to Japan, Korea and North America.
A pivot to edtech
Mr Lo, a former financial trader with an engineering background, co-founded Kazoo Technology with his college friend Alan Lau in 2015.
Their original goal was to make advanced tech more intuitive and accessible, naming their start-up after the kazoo – the easy-to-play musical instrument.
In its early days, Kazoo Technology created interactive products for gaming and toy companies.
However, a major new opportunity took shape after running a pilot project to support Chinese learning with The Education University of Hong Kong’s Institute of Special Needs and Inclusive Education.
The success of this project demonstrated strong potential in edtech. This has become Kazoo’s core business today.
“Our ambition has expanded from a niche technology supplier to a regional edtech brand,” Mr Lo recounts.
His team continues to enhance the platform’s AI capabilities, particularly to support non-native speakers and children with special educational needs – two groups often underserved by traditional methods.
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) has also played a prominent role in this ongoing growth story.
Mr Lo first showcased his company’s novel approach at HKTDC’s Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair in 2017.
Kazoo Technology also exhibited at HKTDC’s Hong Kong Book Fair every year since 2021, building awareness and adoption, while introducing the public to the company’s latest innovations.
Other business development programmes organised by the HKTDC, such as ASEAN Lifestyle Explorer, together with business matching sessions, have also provided invaluable connections, learnings and exposure.
These helped pave the way for regional partnerships and franchise opportunities, accelerating market validation, while informing product design.
HKTDC’s office in Ho Chi Minh City was especially instrumental in facilitating entry into Vietnam, providing vital insights and introductions.
Overall, the market intelligence and stakeholder access enabled by the HKTDC cut the market entry timeline for Kazoo Technology, a resource-conscious SME, by an estimated 12 to 18 months.
“Expanding overseas requires more than just ambition,” Mr Lo emphasises.
“It demands targeted knowledge, the ability to filter through the noise in the research process and, most importantly, direct access to local stakeholders. The HKTDC made all that possible.”