Live Course is a Must for Online Education? Jiayuan Founder Launches Her Third Online Education Project

Gong Haiyan, the Chinese serial entrepreneur who founded the US-listed online dating service Jiayuan, launched today her third online education project, a live course site Nahao.com.

There have been several live course sites in China. Their focuses are slightly different though. YY’s 100.com currently is focused on exam preparations for studying abroad and NetEase’s Youdao is trying to covert the users of its dictionary app to consumers of the online English classes.

After leaving Jiayuan, Ms. Gong founded 91Waijiao in 2013, hiring native English speakers to teach Chinese users, and introduced angel investment from Chinese investor Mr. Xu Xiaoping and funding from Chinese Internet company NetEase later in the year. But before long Ms. Gong would launch Tizi.com for K-12 education.

Both Tizi and Nahao are focused on K-12. Tizi offers educational materials and recorded courses, while Nahao is a platform for teachers to give live courses online and interact with students, according to the company. Thus students will be able to ask teachers questions real time. Also there are features helping students do homework or participate in other after-school programs online.

The courses on the site are priced lowered than prices for offline courses (those offline courses are really expensive though).

Nahao has hired teachers from public schools and private educational companies such as Haoweilai and Xueda. It’s open to any teachers to apply as well. The courses not only include what are required in schools but also some for families or child’s growth.

The 91Waijiao has been spun off. Its monthly revenue has reached RMB1 million (about US$160,000) and the annual revenue is expected to reach RMB15-20 million by year end, according to Gong.