Our history
The story of Lingu started in the non-profit organization 'KIA', which works with integration and Norwegian education. The founders Edward Milsom and Odd Bjerga worked in this organization and came into contact with talented and resourceful people from many different countries.
The idea of Lingu arose in this context of mobility, language and human talents.
Odd Bjerga CEO · Lingu
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2008
company founded
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1344
active students now
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4,536
students last year
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20,504
classes taught last year
16 years with Lingu
Lingu is celebrating 16 years in business in 2024. Here is a short timeline with our most important milestones on the road, to where we stand today.
2008
Hello, World!
2009
First Customer
2010
Eurovision Fever
2011
Accreditation
2012
First edtech project
2013
Lingu Stavanger
2014
Social Studies Online Course
September 2014 - Our first 50 hours of Social Studies Online Course with 84 students pre-registered. Since then, several thousand people took the course and rated it 5 out of 5 stars!
2015
Trademark
August 2015 - Launched our Simply Online Norwegian Course with drop-in classes, e-learning and individual tutoring, allowing students all over the world to use our services flexibly and successfully learn with us.
2016
Norskbloggen
2017
Reinvented Online Courses
Lingu Bergen
November 2017 - We opened our first offices in Bergen.
2018
Yrkesnorsk
2019
Merger and podcast
August 2019 - Acquired the domain ‘lingu.com’. This milestone set the company on a new trajectory; towards global markets.
November 2019 - Launched our podcast Norskpodden which has grown in popularity and has frequently been listed as #1 in language learning podcasts in Norway.
2020
Covid-19 and Edtech
October 2020 - Lingu received NOK 10 million from the Norwegian government to develop new, digital forms of learning and make these available to adult education centers in Norway, giving birth to ‘Samanehs Reise’.
2021
Lingu Haugesund
2022
Selena’s Anatomy
August, 2022 - Lingu won more contracts with the public sector and opens a new course center in Arendal.
2023
Entering the age of AI
Since the early days as a startup, Lingu has bootstrapped into becoming the leading language training provider in Norway. Lingu is today both an edtech company and a language school. Our team of one hundred people are working hard to create unique learning experiences.
Leadership
The company's management consists of an innovative and curious crew with a long experience in adult education and with a heart for language, technology and education. As a caring business, we want to offer engaging, digital solutions for our users, as well as facilitate personal development for the people we work with.
Business idea
By linking talent, technology and pedagogy, we can create products and services that enable communication and interaction across language barriers. Our products and services will expand people's horizons and create both new career opportunities and sustainability in a diverse world.