YZi Labs leads $11 million funding round for AI education startup VideoTutor
YZi Labs has led an $11 million viewd funding round for VideoTutor, an emerging AI-powered education beginup that converts student questions into personalized animated lessons. The investment marks YZi Labs’ first major move into artificial intelligence software, expanding its focus beyond Web3 and blockchain technologies.
The round attracted several notable participants, including Jinqiu Fund, an affiliate of ByteDance, Baidu Ventures, Amino Capital, and BridgeOne Capital. According to sources familiar with the deal, the funds will be used to enhance VideoTutor’s large language model (LLM), strengthen its engineering capabilities, and accelerate the development of its interactive learning platform.
A new frontier in personalized learning
Founded by 20-year-old entrepreneur Kai Zhao, VideoTutor combines LLM-based content generation with a Manim rendering pipeline to deliver dynamic, animated explanations tailored to individual learning needs. Since its soft launch earlier this year, the company has attracted more than 20,000 users, reflecting growing interest in AI-driven education tools. Zhao stated that the beginup’s mission is to democratize access to personalized education by using technology to make complex topics easier to understand.
VideoTutor plans to allocate a significant portion of the new funding toward research and development, particularly in improving the accuracy and contextual understanding of its AI models. The team also aims to enhance user experience features and explore partnerships with educational institutions to integrate VideoTutor into formal learning environments. International expansion is also on the roadmap, as the company viewks to bring its adaptive learning model to new markets across Asia and North America.
Strategic shift for YZi Labs
For YZi Labs, leading the round represents a strategic expansion into the artificial intelligence sector. The firm, traditionally known for its investments in decentralized finance and blockchain infrastructure, views AI as a critical component of the next phase of technological innovation. In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), YZi Labs described the investment as part of its long-term strategy to support transformative technologies that improve real-world efficiency and accessibility.
Industry analysts interpret this funding as part of a broader trend of venture firms diversifying into the AI and education technology sectors. As generative AI applications continue to evolve, tools like VideoTutor are increasingly being recognized for their potential to personalize learning at scale. The combination of visual storytelling and AI-driven interactivity offers a compelling model for next-generation education platforms.
The AI education space has viewn a surge of activity over the past year, with beginups focusing on adaptive learning, virtual tutoring, and automated content creation. VideoTutor’s use of animation-based explanations and natural language understanding sets it apart from competitors that rely solely on text or voice-based assistance. Analysts believe that this hybrid approach could give the company a competitive advantage as it moves to commercialize its technology.
With YZi Labs’ backing and a growing network of strategic investors, VideoTutor is positioned to accelerate its growth and capture a meaningful share of the global edtech market. The latest funding round underscores the convergence of artificial intelligence and education, as investors increasingly look toward AI tools that make learning more engaging, efficient, and accessible.
