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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nDuolingo \u2013 how a FREE Learning app; can achieve Total funding $138.3 mm AND have a revenue of $86+ mm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Enterprise name:<\/strong> Duolingo<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since:<\/strong> 2009<\/p>\n\n\n\n Owner and CTO<\/strong>: Severin Hacker<\/p>\n\n\n\n Duolingo is an American platform that includes a language-learning website and mobile app, as well as a digital language-proficiency assessment exam. The company uses the freemium<\/a> model; the app and the website are accessible without charge, although Duolingo also offers a premium service for a fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As of November 2019 the language-learning website and app offer 94 different language courses in 23 languages. The app has over 300 million registered users across the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Business model:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Most language-learning features in Duolingo are free of charge, but it uses periodic advertising in both its mobile and web browser applications,which users can remove by paying a subscription fee. This feature, which is named \u2018Duolingo Plus\u2019, includes benefits such as having unlimited hearts and being able to skip levels. It originally employed a crowd sourced<\/a> business model, where the content came from organizations that paid Duolingo to translate it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ambition and Motivation:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Initially, Hacker and his former graduate advisor, Luis von Ahn, wanted to develop an application that could translate internet sites, so that they would be accessible for non-English speakers. They felt that automated translation software wasn\u2019t as effective as using the skills and knowledge of bilingual speakers.[9]<\/a><\/sup> During Hacker\u2019s doctoral studies, Duolingo became a by-product of this idea, or \u201chappy mistake.\u201d[10]<\/a><\/sup> Hacker\u2019s goal for Duolingo was to make it \u201c100% free\u201d so the most disadvantaged person with an internet connection would still have access to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n History and growth:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The project was started at the end of 2009 in by Carnegie Mellon University<\/a> professor Luis von Ahn<\/a> (creator of reCAPTCHA<\/a>) and his graduate student Severin Hacker<\/a>, and then developed along with Antonio Navas, Vicki Cheung, Marcel Uekermann, Brendan Meeder, Hector Villafuerte, and Jose Fuentes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On October 19, 2011, during in its \u201cEarly Stage Venture\u201d stage Duolingo raised $3.3 million from a Series A first-round of funding, led by Union Square Ventures,<\/a> with participation from author Tim Ferriss<\/a> and actor Ashton Kutcher<\/a>\u2018s firm, A-Grade Investments.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Duolingo launched into private beta<\/a> a month later on November 30, 2011, and accumulated a waiting list of more than 300,000 users. On June 19, 2012, Duolingo later launched for the general public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On September 17, 2012, while still in its \u201cEarly Stage Venture\u201d stage, Duolingo raised $15 million from a Series B second-round of funding led by New Enterprise Associates<\/a>, with participation from Union Square Ventures<\/a> bringing Duolingo\u2019s total funding to $18.3 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On February 18, 2014, Duolingo entered its \u201cLate Stage Venture\u201d stage, and raised $20 million from a Series C third-round of funding. It was reported Duolingo had about 25 million registered users, 12.5 million active users, and 34 employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On June 10, 2015, Duolingo raised $45 million from a Series D fourth-round of funding led by Google Capital<\/a>, bringing its total funding to $83.3 million, a valuation of $470 million, as well as passing 100 million users \u2013 In April 2016 it was reported that Duolingo had 17 million monthly users.[36]<\/a><\/sup>[37]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n On July 25, 2017, that Duolingo raised $25 million from a Series E fifth-round of investment from Drive Capital<\/a>, bringing its total funding to $108.3 million, a valuation of $700 million, as well as passing 200 million users and having 25 million monthly users<\/p>\n\n\n\n On December 4, 2019, it was announced that Duolingo raised $30 million in a series F sixth-round of investment from Alphabet<\/a>\u2019s investment company CapitalG<\/a>, bringing a total funding of $138.3 million, a valuation of $1.5 billion, reporting 30 million monthly active learners. Duolingo will use the funds on developing new products and expanding its team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Duolingo had a revenue of $1 million in 2016, $13 million in 2017,[52]<\/a><\/sup> $36 million in 2018,[53]<\/a><\/sup> and is projected to hit $86 million in 2019.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Duolingo FREE Learning app; Total funding $138.3 mm AND $86+ mm revenue Originally Posted By anouk tenten on January 31, 2020 Duolingo \u2013 how a FREE Learning…<\/p>\n