USA 
United Kingdom
Luis von Ahn, CEO of Duolingo, has attributed the language learning platform’s impressive growth journey to a “wholesome but unhinged” culture instilled at the firm.
In a post on LinkedIn, the chief exec reflected on how the company’s culture has evolved during its growth journey over the past decade.
Duolingo has enjoyed strong financial performance – or should we say sólido desempeño financiero – in recent years.
Von Ahn tied that success to his company’s culture. “As we say in our company handbook, we're “wholesome but unhinged.” That tension is what makes Duolingo special,” he wrote.
Duolingo CEO: ‘We built our culture from scratch’
Earlier in 2025, the language course provider reported a revenue of $748million for the financial year 2024, a 41% year-on-year increase.
In a Q4 earnings press release, von Ahn called it a “truly exceptional fourth quarter,” in which the firm broke its records for bookings, revenue, and net new subscribers.
“Our results highlight the continued strength of our product-led strategy and focus on engagement,” he added.
Over the past decade, Duolingo has acquired over 800million total registered users, with over 9.5million paid subscribers.
Writing on LinkedIn last week, von Ahn said his company’s workforce has grown significantly in that time, from “20 nerds in an office above a sports bar in Pittsburgh” to “over 850 people with offices around the world.”
“We built our culture from scratch, making things up as we went along,” he continued. “And while we've professionalized in many ways, I've been thinking about what's changed and what's remained the same about our culture.”
According to the chief exec, Duolingo remains as “quirky” as it has ever been. “We've never taken ourselves too seriously, and we still don't,” he explained. “That essence has remained throughout our history.”
But maturity has brought the need for process, structure, and careful HR strategy.
“Early employees thrived in chaos,” von Ahn said. “Today's hires generally prefer more structure. This is inevitable.”
The exec even went as far as to suggest that a 20-person organisation can “get away without formal HR policies,” but headcount growth necessitates a more professional approach.
“The key is adding the right processes (and not too much) without killing the magic,” he suggested.
The Future of Global Workforces | Trends and Predictions for 2025
Discover What’s Next for the Global Workforce in 2025
The world of work is changing fast - and organizations that stay ahead of the curve will be best positioned to attract, retain, and engage top talent.
In The Future of Global Workforces | Trends and Predictions for 2025, we explore the key shifts shaping how companies operate across borders. From rising employee expectations and evolving regulatory landscapes to game-changing advances in technology, the modern workforce is being redefined.
One standout trend? The continued evolution of remote and hybrid work. What began as a pandemic-era necessity has now become a non-negotiable for many employees - and a strategic opportunity for employers.
As Connie Diaz, Senior Director of HR at G-P, explains: “Remote work gives us the flexibility to better integrate work and life — and gives employers access to talent anywhere in the world.”
Download the report to uncover expert insights, explore emerging trends, and gain practical takeaways for building a future-ready, globally competitive workforce.
Four lessons from an evolving culture at Duo
Later in the post, von Ahn revealed one of the biggest challenges for Duolingo is “maintaining our essence while adapting to new realities.”
The executive subsequently shared four key lessons about how businesses can evolve their culture, protecting key pillars while embracing adaptation and change.
First, “What we stand for gets clearer over time. We didn't have our distinct voice 10 years ago – we had the beginnings of a voice.”
Second, “Great cultures evolve with their people. The best people age with the company. I wouldn't do well in day-one Duolingo today, and day-one me wouldn't do well in the current Duolingo. We've evolved together.”
Third, “Fresh energy can come from unexpected places. Our newer Detroit office injects weird and unhinged elements that keep our spirit alive.”
And finally, “Different stages need different talents. People who thrive at a 20-employee stage may struggle at a 1,000-employee stage, and vice versa. Both types create value at the right time.”
A strong company culture balanced with careful processes has apparently helped the business navigate challenges such as the thorny issue of a return to the office.
Speaking on The Verge’s Decoder Podcast in 2024, von Ahn claimed that Duolingo experienced no attrition when calling staff back to the office three days a week in 2022.
The key to avoiding backlash, where other employers to increase in-office expectations have struggled, was careful and consistent expectation management, Von Ahn revealed.
Employees were told when the company was first going remote that it wouldn’t last forever; they’d eventually be called back into the office.
“This was not a surprise for anybody," von Ahn said. “I don't think we lost a single employee from that.”
