COMPANY INFO
Duolingo, Inc. is an American educational technology company founded in 2011 by Luis von Ahn and Severin Hacker. It employs approximately 830 people and operates in the online education industry with its website at duolingo.com. Duolingo produces learning apps and provides language certification, offering courses in 43 languages and additional subjects like music, math, and chess through a gamified learning method to motivate users with interactive lessons and rewards. The company also offers the Duolingo English Test and a literacy app for children, following a freemium model with optional premium services.
Duolingo, Inc. is an American educational technology company founded in 2011, renowned for its gamified app that teaches over 43 languages as well as math, music, and chess. The company’s innovative platform motivates millions through interactive lessons and rewards, making high-quality education accessible worldwide.
The Duolingo, Inc. leadership team encompasses a diverse group of professionals with backgrounds spanning technology, education, digital marketing, finance, design, and product innovation. United by a mission-driven culture and visionary management, the Duolingo, Inc. executives drive growth by fostering innovation and scale, creating a motivating environment, and leveraging deep expertise across online education, gamification, global market expansion, and user engagement.
Luis von Ahn is the Co-founder and CEO of Duolingo, Inc., responsible for defining and advancing the company’s vision to deliver accessible, world-class education. Under his leadership, Duolingo has grown into the world’s top language-learning platform, acclaimed for its crowdsourcing and human computation approach, and he remains deeply involved in key strategic and product initiatives.
Luis holds a B.S. in Mathematics from Duke University (summa cum laude) and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University. Before Duolingo, he was a Carnegie Mellon professor and invented technologies including CAPTCHA and reCAPTCHA, which were acquired by Google. His groundbreaking work has been honored by the MacArthur Fellowship and the Lemelson–MIT Prize.
Severin Hacker is Duolingo, Inc.’s CTO and Co-founder, leading the company’s technological innovation and product development. He has been essential in integrating advanced machine learning, data analytics, and gamification into the product, ensuring personalized learning and global scalability.
Severin holds a B.S. in Computer Science from ETH Zurich and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University, where he studied under Luis von Ahn. Recognized by the Crunchie Awards and MIT Technology Review’s Top Innovators under 35, Severin’s expertise spans AI, language technology, and education software.
Matt Skaruppa serves as Chief Financial Officer, managing Duolingo, Inc.’s global financial operations, strategy, and investor relations during an era of exponential growth. Matt has played a pivotal role in securing sustainable growth, managing financial planning, and scaling up operations in alignment with the company’s aggressive market expansion.
Matt holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Northwestern University and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business. He brings over 15 years of experience from leading finance and consulting roles at Goldman Sachs, KKR Capstone, and Bain & Company.
Emmanuel Orssaud leads the global marketing function at Duolingo, Inc., forging breakthrough viral campaigns and innovative branding strategies. He has transformed Duolingo’s approach to customer acquisition, supercharging growth through unconventional, social-first initiatives that set new industry standards.
Emmanuel holds a Master’s Degree in Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia from The Internet and Multimedia Institute (IIM) - Leonard de Vinci, Paris. Prior to joining Duolingo, he built digital marketing teams at Spotify and PlayStation, establishing his reputation for creative, data-driven audience engagement.
Cem Kansu is the Chief Product Officer at Duolingo, Inc., where he directs product management and innovation. Cem was crucial in building the highly successful freemium model, scaling annual revenues, and pioneering new AI-driven subscription offerings that fuel user retention and monetization.
Cem holds an MBA from The Wharton School, a Master of Engineering from Cornell University, and a B.S. from Bilkent University. Before Duolingo, he held product management roles at Google and Jawbone, leading successful product launches in tech and consumer sectors.
Molly Lindsay guides Duolingo, Inc.’s people and talent function, focusing on organizational strategy, diversity, and employee experience. Molly has played a significant role in scaling talent and culture as the company expanded, ensuring strategic alignment across teams and championing equity and inclusion.
Molly holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and a B.A. in History from Yale University. With prior experience at McKinsey & Company and leadership roles in nonprofits, Molly brings a strategic, impact-oriented perspective to people operations.
Natalie Glance heads engineering at Duolingo, Inc., directing technology scaling, product direction, and AI innovation. She is known for fostering a culture of rapid experimentation, building scalable engineering processes, and mentoring technical leaders across the organization.
Natalie earned a Ph.D. in Physics from Stanford University and a B.A. in Physics from Princeton University. Her previous roles include Engineering Manager at Google, as well as research and development experience in software and data-driven systems.
Ryan Sims leads Duolingo, Inc.’s design team, focusing on enhancing user experience, brand identity, and creative product storytelling. Through his leadership, the design organization has introduced award-winning innovations and expanded into new disciplines, fortifying Duolingo’s product appeal.
Ryan brings design leadership expertise from previous roles at companies such as Stripe, Adobe, and Rdio. Based in Pittsburgh, he has a deep background in visual and product design for technology-driven organizations.
Tyler Murphy heads product design at Duolingo, Inc., renowned for designing the original iOS and Android apps and playing a creative role in ongoing feature design and user experience strategy. His influence is seen throughout the company’s celebrated, accessible product interface and engaging user journeys.
Tyler holds an M.A. in Education and a B.A. in Spanish from the University of Connecticut, with expertise combining educational theory and digital product design—his long tenure at Duolingo has shaped key product directions from launch to present day.
Brett Blacker manages Duolingo, Inc.’s regional growth and market strategies in Australia and New Zealand, driving expansion and operational excellence. Brett brings extensive leadership and international education experience to support Duolingo’s mission and presence in the region.
He holds a Master’s in Leadership and Management in Education and a Bachelor’s in Business Management from the University of Newcastle. Brett’s previous executive roles span leading education associations and universities in Australia.
The Duolingo, Inc. leadership team brings together world-class expertise in technology, business, education, marketing, and design. With Luis von Ahn and Severin Hacker at the helm as visionary founders, Duolingo’s management team is structured to foster innovation, growth, and cross-functional collaboration. This dynamic and mission-driven executive group ensures that Duolingo continues to lead online education through technology-enabled, accessible, and engaging learning solutions.
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