Ivan Crewkov

Co-founder and CEO at Buddy.ai

Ivan Crewkov is the Co-founder and CEO of Buddy.ai, a company focused on developing a voice-based virtual tutor designed to help children learn English as a second language. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, he has nearly a decade of experience in creating and marketing voice-first products. Under his leadership, Buddy.ai aims to provide affordable English speaking practice to children worldwide, leveraging proprietary speech and virtual human technologies.1 2

Professional Background

Buddy.ai (2017 - Present): As CEO, Crewkov has led the development of a platform that currently supports over a million children globally in learning English. The service is designed to be cost-effective, offering a month of learning for the price of a single live tutoring session.1 3
Cubic.ai (2014 - 2017): Before Buddy.ai, he was the Co-founder and CMO at Cubic.ai, where he helped create one of the first smart speakers and a voice assistant app for smart homes. The company's technology was later acquired by Yandex, leading to the launch of the Yandex Station, a popular smart speaker.1 2
Dominion Marketing (2007 - 2013): Crewkov founded this boutique advertising agency in Siberia, where he served as CEO and Creative Director. His work earned him multiple awards at international advertising festivals.1

Personal Motivation

Crewkov's inspiration for Buddy.ai stemmed from his family's experience with immigration to the United States. Observing his children struggle with English highlighted the need for effective speaking practice among kids, which ultimately led him to create Buddy.ai.1 4

Achievements

Raised $3 million in venture capital for Buddy.ai.
Generated over $4.5 million in sales.
Developed a platform that promises to make English learning accessible to approximately 500 million children globally.1 3

Ivan Crewkov's vision combines technology with educational needs, aiming to revolutionize language learning for children through innovative voice technology solutions.