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    Duolingo (DUOL)

    Duolingo, Inc. is a leading mobile learning platform primarily focused on language education. The company offers a popular language-learning app that provides courses in over 40 languages, making it the top-grossing education app in app stores. Duolingo operates on a freemium model, offering free access to its app with premium features available through subscriptions.

    1. Time-Based Subscriptions - Offers monthly, six-month, or year-long subscriptions with options for single or family plans, providing premium features such as an ad-free experience and additional learning tools.
    2. In-App Advertising - Generates revenue from third-party advertisements placed within the app, monetizing free users.
    3. Duolingo English Test (DET) - Provides an English proficiency test, generating revenue from test fees.
    4. In-App Purchases - Allows users to purchase consumable virtual goods within the app to enhance their learning experience.

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    NamePositionExternal RolesShort Bio

    Luis von Ahn

    ExecutiveBoard

    CEO, Co-Founder, Chairman

    None

    Co-founded Duolingo in August 2011, leading its growth into a leading language-learning platform. Holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University.

    View Report →

    Severin Hacker

    ExecutiveBoard

    CTO, Co-Founder

    None

    Co-founded Duolingo in August 2011, instrumental in technology and product development. Holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University.

    Matthew Skaruppa

    Executive

    CFO

    None

    Joined Duolingo as CFO in February 2020. Previously worked at Goldman Sachs and KKR Capstone. Holds an MBA from Stanford.

    Natalie Glance

    Executive

    Chief Engineering Officer

    None

    Joined Duolingo in March 2015, promoted to Chief Engineering Officer in November 2022. Holds a Ph.D. in Physics from Stanford University.

    Robert Meese

    Executive

    Chief Business Officer

    None

    Joined Duolingo in September 2016, promoted to Chief Business Officer in March 2021. Previously worked at Google.

    Stephen Chen

    Executive

    General Counsel

    None

    Joined Duolingo as General Counsel in March 2020. Previously worked at Proofpoint, Inc. and Yahoo!.

    Amy Bohutinsky

    Board

    Director

    Board Member at Zillow Group, Venture Partner at TCV

    Joined Duolingo's Board in June 2020. Extensive experience in marketing and leadership at technology companies.

    Bing Gordon

    Board

    Director

    Partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Board Member at Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., Special Advisor to Amazon

    Joined Duolingo's Board in February 2020. Extensive experience in corporate governance and strategic planning.

    Bonnie Ross

    Board

    Director

    Dean’s Leadership Council at Colorado State University

    Joined Duolingo's Board in December 2024. Extensive experience in the gaming industry, previously led the Halo franchise at Microsoft.

    Gillian Munson

    Board

    Director

    CFO of Vimeo, Board Member at Phreesia, Inc.

    Joined Duolingo's Board in September 2019. Extensive experience in financial leadership roles, including at Vimeo and Zillow Group.

    Jim Shelton

    Board

    Director

    Chief Investment and Impact Officer at Blue Meridian Partners, Partner at Amandla Enterprises

    Joined Duolingo's Board in October 2020. Extensive experience in education and impact investment.

    John Lilly

    Board

    Director

    Venture Partner at Greylock Partners

    Joined Duolingo's Board in December 2021. Extensive experience in sales, marketing, and business development.

    Sara Clemens

    Board

    Director

    Senior Advisor to Blackstone Growth, Board Member at Khosla Ventures Acquisition Co. III, Board Member at Karat

    Joined Duolingo's Board in June 2020. Extensive international business experience and senior leadership roles at technology companies.

    1. With U.S. market growth being only roughly average compared to other countries, are you concerned about potential saturation in your most mature market, and what specific strategies are you implementing to drive further growth in the U.S.?

    2. Given that Max adoption has not yet materially impacted ARPU and its scale remains uncertain, how confident are you that Max will drive sustainable ARPU growth going forward, and what are the key factors that will influence this?

    3. As you expand into international markets by adding marketing managers in countries like France, Korea, Italy, and Turkey, how do you plan to address the challenges of localization to replicate the success you've seen in Japan, and what metrics will you use to measure success in these new markets? ,

    4. With retention rates for Max subscribers not yet stable and the possibility that they may differ from Super subscribers, what strategies are you implementing to ensure high retention across all subscription tiers, and how might varying retention rates impact your long-term revenue projections?

    5. Considering that your marketing strategy relies heavily on organic social media and you've mentioned minimal impact from performance marketing, how will you adapt if organic growth slows or if social media platforms change their algorithms, and are there plans to increase paid marketing to sustain user acquisition?

    Research analysts who have asked questions during Duolingo earnings calls.

    Alexander Sklar

    Raymond James Financial, Inc.

    5 questions for DUOL

    Also covers: AIOT, BL, EVCM +11 more

    Andrew Boone

    JMP Securities

    5 questions for DUOL

    Also covers: CARG, CART, CVNA +22 more

    Bryan Smilek

    JPMorgan Chase & Co.

    5 questions for DUOL

    Also covers: CHGG, COUR, CRTO +4 more

    Curtis Nagle

    Bank of America

    5 questions for DUOL

    Also covers: ACVA, BMBL, CHWY +12 more

    Justin Patterson

    KeyBanc Capital Markets

    5 questions for DUOL

    Also covers: ABNB, ANGI, CART +12 more

    Ralph Schackart

    William Blair

    5 questions for DUOL

    Also covers: APP, CARG, DIBS +6 more

    Ross Sandler

    Barclays

    5 questions for DUOL

    Also covers: AMZN, CART, DASH +13 more

    Ryan MacDonald

    Needham & Company

    5 questions for DUOL

    Also covers: ACCD, AMWL, BNED +17 more

    Wyatt Swanson

    D.A. Davidson & Co.

    5 questions for DUOL

    Also covers: CARG, EXPI, REAX +1 more

    Mark Mahaney

    Evercore ISI

    3 questions for DUOL

    Also covers: ABNB, AMZN, BKNG +22 more

    Nathan Feather

    Morgan Stanley

    3 questions for DUOL

    Also covers: BMBL, CHWY, EBAY +4 more

    Shweta Khajuria

    Wolfe Research, LLC

    3 questions for DUOL

    Also covers: BMBL, CART, CHWY +14 more

    Aaron Kessler

    Seaport Research Partners

    2 questions for DUOL

    Also covers: GDDY, HIMS

    Arvind Ramnani

    Piper Sandler

    2 questions for DUOL

    Also covers: CWAN, GLOB, INTA +5 more

    Chris Kuntarich

    UBS Group

    2 questions for DUOL

    Also covers: APP, BIGC, COMP +5 more

    Christopher Kuntarich

    UBS

    2 questions for DUOL

    Also covers: APP, COMP, DSP +6 more

    Edison Kai

    Citic Securities

    2 questions for DUOL

    Hanyi Cai

    CITIC Securities

    2 questions for DUOL

    John Colantuoni

    Jefferies

    2 questions for DUOL

    Also covers: ABNB, ACVA, BKNG +7 more

    Mark Stephen Mahaney

    Evercore ISI

    2 questions for DUOL

    Also covers: BKNG, ODD, ZG

    Christian Charcoal

    UBS Group AG

    1 question for DUOL

    Crystal Li

    CMS

    1 question for DUOL

    Also covers: GOTU

    Eric Sheridan

    Goldman Sachs

    1 question for DUOL

    Also covers: ABNB, ACVA, AMZN +42 more

    Georgia Anderson

    Wolfe Research

    1 question for DUOL

    CustomerRelationshipSegmentDetails

    Apple

    Payment processing & distribution partner

    All

    Processed 60.8% ($454.8 million) of 2024 total revenue

    Google

    Payment processing & distribution partner

    All

    Processed 23.4% ($174.4 million) of 2024 total revenue

    Stripe

    Payment processing partner

    All

    Processed 11.7% ($87.4 million) of 2024 total revenue

    Notable M&A activity and strategic investments in the past 3 years.

    CompanyYearDetails

    Undisclosed Company 1

    2024

    Completed in July 2024, this acquisition had a total consideration of $7.5 million—comprising cash, contingent payments, and a holdback tied to post-acquisition conditions—and was aimed at adding new design, illustration, animation, and engineering talent along with developed technology, although the final purchase price allocation remains in progress.

    Undisclosed Company 2

    2024

    Completed in July 2024, this deal mirrors the structure of the first, with a total aggregate consideration of $7.5 million (including cash, contingent payments, and a holdback), aimed at bolstering Duolingo's creative and engineering teams and technology assets, with the acquisition accounting still being finalized.

    Gunner Made LLC

    2022

    Acquired on October 3, 2022, for a total of $4.5 million (with $4 million paid at closing and $0.5 million contingent on continued service), this acquisition brought 15 new design and animation experts to enhance Duolingo's brand and product capabilities, aligning with its strategic focus on reinvesting in creative talent while final purchase price allocation is pending.

    Recent press releases and 8-K filings for DUOL.

    Duolingo Faces Investor Investigation
    ·$DUOL
    Legal Proceedings
    Demand Weakening
    Profit Warning
    • Pomerantz LLP is investigating Duolingo, Inc. for potential securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.
    • The investigation follows JMP Securities lowering its price target on Duolingo stock to $450 from $475 on July 28, 2025.
    • This price target reduction was attributed to concerns about slowing user engagement, with daily active user growth decelerating to approximately 39% year-over-year in Q2 2025 from about 51% in Q1 2025.
    • On July 28, 2025, Duolingo's stock price fell $23.60 per share, or 6.48%, closing at $340.49 per share.
    5 days ago
    Duolingo Special Call Highlights Growth and Expansion Strategies
    ·$DUOL
    Guidance Update
    Product Launch
    New Projects/Investments
    • Duolingo provided guidance for 40%-45% DAU growth in Q2, highlighting its robust freemium model, social-first marketing, and user resurrection strategies as key drivers.
    • The call emphasized ongoing efforts to boost platform LTV through subscription upgrades (Super to Max), expanding Family Plan penetration, and leveraging AI for efficient content creation and new verticals such as math, music, and chess.
    May 13, 2025, 8:31 PM
    Duolingo Q1 2025: Record User Growth, Revenue Surge & AI-Driven Innovations
    ·$DUOL
    Earnings
    New Projects/Investments
    Product Launch
    Revenue Acceleration/Inflection
    • Duolingo achieved a record 46.6M daily active users with a 49% YoY increase and surpassed 10 million paid subscribers in Q1 2025.
    • The company reported 38% YoY revenue growth to $230.7M, with net income rising from $27.0M to $35.1M, highlighting robust operational momentum.
    • Gross margin guidance was reiterated with Q1 performance exceeding expectations, setting a track for a sequential 50 bp decline in Q2, a ramp-up in Q3/Q4, and an overall 150 bp annual decline.
    • AI-enabled content expansion drove the rollout of 148 new language courses in one year and introduced new subjects like math, music, and chess to boost subscription growth.
    • Strong user engagement was further evidenced by robust retention trends on Max and significant incremental subscriber gains from both new and upgraded users.
    • Investments in GenAI features and product innovations (e.g., improved Video Call interactions) are enhancing efficiency and long-term growth.
    May 1, 2025, 9:31 PM