Duolingo’s journey from a small startup to a major player in language learning spans over a decade. This article explores the app’s beginnings, growth, and key moments that made it a top EdTech company.
We’ll cover Duolingo’s start in 2009, its rise to a $700 million valuation, and how it changed online language education. You’ll find out about the founders, funding, and new features added over time.
Discover the story behind the owl-mascot app that’s helping millions learn new languages every day.
The Origins of Duolingo
The Founding of Duolingo
Duolingo was conceived in 2009 by Luis von Ahn, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University, and his Swiss-born graduate student, Severin Hacker. Von Ahn, known for his pioneering work in crowdsourcing and computer security, had a vision of creating a free, accessible language learning platform that could also generate valuable data through user interactions.
Von Ahn’s previous inventions, such as CAPTCHA and reCAPTCHA, had already demonstrated the power of harnessing the efforts of millions of internet users for the greater good. With Duolingo, he and Hacker wanted to apply a similar crowdsourcing approach to language education, effectively creating a “game” that would teach users new languages while also providing a means of translating text.
The initial funding for Duolingo came from Von Ahn’s MacArthur Fellowship grant and a National Science Foundation grant, which allowed the team to begin developing the platform in 2011.
Duolingo’s Launch and Early Growth
After a year of development, Duolingo launched its private beta in November 2011, attracting a waiting list of more than 300,000 people. The public release followed in June 2012, by which time the waiting list had grown to around 500,000 users.
In the first year, Duolingo experienced rapid growth, attracting millions of users and becoming the top-ranked free education app in both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. This early success was largely attributed to the platform’s innovative approach to language learning, which incorporated elements of gamification, such as points, streaks, and leaderboards, to keep users engaged and motivated.
Duolingo’s Milestones Over the Years
Funding and Valuation Milestones
As Duolingo’s user base continued to expand, the company began attracting significant investments from venture capitalists and other investors. In October 2011, Duolingo announced its first major funding round, a $3.3 million Series A led by Union Square Ventures, with participation from Tim Ferriss and Ashton Kutcher’s firm, A-Grade Investments.
This was followed by a $15 million Series B round in September 2012, led by New Enterprise Associates, and a $20 million Series C round in February 2014, led by Kleiner Caufield & Byers. By June 2015, Duolingo had raised a total of $83.3 million, with a $45 million Series D round led by Google Capital, valuing the company at around $470 million.
The company’s growth continued in the following years, with a $25 million Series E round in July 2017, led by Drive Capital, and a $30 million Series F round in December 2019, led by Alphabet’s investment company, CapitalG. This latest round valued Duolingo at a staggering $1.5 billion, solidifying its status as a “unicorn” in the EdTech industry.
Expanding the Platform and Services
As Duolingo’s user base expanded, the company began diversifying its offerings beyond its core language learning app. In 2013, Duolingo launched a crowdsourced language incubator, allowing volunteers to contribute to the development of new language courses. This initiative enabled the platform to rapidly expand its language offerings, going from just a handful of languages at launch to over 40 languages by 2023.
In 2016, Duolingo introduced the Duolingo English Test, a lower-cost alternative to the traditional TOEFL exam for measuring English proficiency. The test, which can be taken remotely, has been accepted by over 5,000 programs worldwide, including prestigious universities like Yale, Columbia, and Duke.
More recently, Duolingo has expanded its portfolio to include other educational offerings, such as Duolingo ABC (a literacy app for children), Duolingo Math, and Duolingo Music, further solidifying its position as a comprehensive language and education platform.
Recognition and Awards
Duolingo’s success and innovation have been widely recognized over the years. In 2013, Apple named Duolingo its iPhone App of the Year, a first for an educational application. That same year, the company was ranked 7th on Fast Company’s “The World’s Most Innovative Companies: Education Honorees” list for its crowdsourcing approach to web translation.
Duolingo has also won numerous other awards, including Best Education Startup at the 2014 Crunchies, Inc. magazine’s Best Workplaces 2018, and a spot on CNBC’s “Disruptor 50” lists in 2018 and 2019. In 2023, the company even won a prestigious Design Award from Apple.
The Current State of Duolingo
User Growth and Engagement
Over the past decade, Duolingo has seen remarkable user growth, with the platform now boasting over 100 million monthly active users (as of Q2 2024). This makes Duolingo the most popular language learning app in the world, outpacing traditional language schools and other digital platforms.
The company’s ability to retain and engage its user base has also been a key factor in its success. Duolingo’s “gamified” approach to language learning, with features like points, streaks, and leaderboards, has helped the platform maintain high levels of user activity and retention, with some reports suggesting its retention rates are comparable to those of popular mobile games.
Monetization and Business Model
While Duolingo’s core language learning app is free to use, the company has developed a successful freemium business model that generates revenue from optional subscriptions and other services.
In 2017, Duolingo introduced advertising and a premium subscription called “Super Duolingo,” which offers ad-free usage and additional features. The company has also generated revenue from the Duolingo English Test, which costs $49 per exam and is accepted by thousands of institutions worldwide.
More recently, Duolingo launched “Duolingo Max,” a higher-tier subscription that includes features like AI-powered language practice and virtual tutoring sessions. These monetization efforts have helped Duolingo steadily increase its revenue, which reached an estimated $531 million in 2023.
Conclusion
Duolingo’s journey from a 2009 idea to a $1.5 billion valued EdTech powerhouse is a testament to the company’s innovative approach, tireless execution, and unwavering commitment to making language education accessible to all.
Over the past 12 years, Duolingo has evolved from a simple language learning app to a comprehensive educational platform, offering courses in over 40 languages, as well as additional services like the Duolingo English Test and specialized apps for math and music learning.
As Duolingo continues to grow and expand its offerings, it remains at the forefront of the language learning industry, using technology, gamification, and a user-centric approach to inspire millions of people around the world to learn new languages. The future of Duolingo looks bright, and it will be exciting to see what the company achieves in the years to come.
