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Duolingo Inc. operates in the technology sector, within the digital education industry, and was founded in 2011 in the United States by Luis von Ahn and Severin Hacker. The company was created with the mission of democratizing access to language learning through a free, accessible, and gamified digital platform.
Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Duolingo has established itself as one of the largest language learning platforms in the world, offering courses in over 40 languages and serving hundreds of millions of active users globally.
Its business model combines educational content, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and game design to drive user engagement through short lessons, challenges, scoring systems, and virtual rewards.
Key products and areas of focus include:
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Duolingo App: A free language learning app with a premium subscription model (Duolingo Super) offering additional features.
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Duolingo English Test (DET): An English proficiency test recognized by academic institutions and companies worldwide, as a more affordable alternative to TOEFL/IELTS.
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Duolingo for Schools: A classroom platform that allows teachers to monitor student progress.
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New segments: Investments in other educational areas such as math (Duolingo Math) and early literacy (Duolingo ABC).
The company operates on a freemium model, monetizing through subscriptions, ads, paid testing, and educational partnerships.
Duolingo has a global presence, with strong penetration in North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Growth is fueled by the app’s accessibility, available on iOS, Android, and web browsers.
With a team of around 600 employees, Duolingo operates research centers and offices focused on personalized education, adaptive technology, natural language processing, and gamification.
The company is listed on the NASDAQ under the ticker DUOL,.
History and Founding of Duolingo Inc.
Duolingo was founded in 2011, when Luis von Ahn, a computer scientist known for creating CAPTCHA and reCAPTCHA, partnered with his PhD student Severin Hacker at Carnegie Mellon University. They shared a vision of making education accessible to everyone, regardless of economic background.
The project began with a focus on teaching languages for free in an engaging and efficient way. The official launch of the app took place in 2012, and it quickly became one of the most downloaded educational apps globally.
Duolingo stood out for combining learning with gaming elements such as levels, achievements, leaderboards, and animated characters, making the process of learning languages fun and motivating.
Key milestones in the company’s journey include:
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2014: Launch of Duolingo Test Center (later known as the Duolingo English Test).
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2020: Accelerated growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a surge in user adoption.
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2021: Initial Public Offering (IPO) on NASDAQ, reaching a valuation of over $6 billion.
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2022–2024: Expansion into new educational areas, including math, literacy, and advanced AI-based features.
Today, Duolingo continues to evolve by integrating generative AI, personalized learning paths, and enhanced gamified experiences, solidifying its position as a global leader in edtech and a benchmark in technology-driven language learning.
Additional Information
The Company Duolingo Inc (United States), is listed on Nasdaq with a market value of $ 9.03 Billions, having an equity of $ 1.31 Billion.
The Company is listedthe in the sector of Others and categorized in industry of Others.
In the last 12 months the Company had a revenue of $ 964.26 Millions, which generated a profit in the amount of $ 386.01 Millions.
As for its main indicators, the Company has a P/E ratio of 23.39, a P/BV ratio of 6.91 and in the last 12 months the Company did not pay dividends.
The Company is traded internationally through the ticker DUOL.
