Luis Von Ahn

I just didn't know we were here to stay, but we became the most downloaded app in the education category. And it was because it was free and it was fun and you could actually learn some languages with it. And so that made us kind of stand out, mainly that it was free and fun. And so we were the most downloaded app in the education category. But the next big thing that happened was around 2017,

I just didn't know we were here to stay, but we became the most downloaded app in the education category. And it was because it was free and it was fun and you could actually learn some languages with it. And so that made us kind of stand out, mainly that it was free and fun. And so we were the most downloaded app in the education category. But the next big thing that happened was around 2017,

2016, 2017, we started monetizing. Before that, before 2016, 2017, we were not making any money. Duolingo was just free. There were no ads. It was just free. There was no way for us to make money because we didn't have ads in the platform. We didn't have subscription, nothing. We started to make money in 2017. It was actually hard to make money, not because nobody wanted to pay.

2016, 2017, we started monetizing. Before that, before 2016, 2017, we were not making any money. Duolingo was just free. There were no ads. It was just free. There was no way for us to make money because we didn't have ads in the platform. We didn't have subscription, nothing. We started to make money in 2017. It was actually hard to make money, not because nobody wanted to pay.

2016, 2017, we started monetizing. Before that, before 2016, 2017, we were not making any money. Duolingo was just free. There were no ads. It was just free. There was no way for us to make money because we didn't have ads in the platform. We didn't have subscription, nothing. We started to make money in 2017. It was actually hard to make money, not because nobody wanted to pay.

It was because internally, our employees didn't want to make money.

It was because internally, our employees didn't want to make money.

It was because internally, our employees didn't want to make money.

Yeah, no, we had hired, everybody that we had hired was very mission-oriented. And then when I told the company, it went to figure out a way to make money, everybody was like, why? And I'm like, well, let me tell you, we need to pay your salaries, for example. And they would say, But you've been paying our salaries this whole time. What's the problem?

Yeah, no, we had hired, everybody that we had hired was very mission-oriented. And then when I told the company, it went to figure out a way to make money, everybody was like, why? And I'm like, well, let me tell you, we need to pay your salaries, for example. And they would say, But you've been paying our salaries this whole time. What's the problem?

Yeah, no, we had hired, everybody that we had hired was very mission-oriented. And then when I told the company, it went to figure out a way to make money, everybody was like, why? And I'm like, well, let me tell you, we need to pay your salaries, for example. And they would say, But you've been paying our salaries this whole time. What's the problem?

And, you know, of course, what we had done is we had raised venture capital, more and more venture capital. You can't raise venture capital forever. And so we started trying to figure out how to make money. But it took about six months to convince the employees that it was okay to work on this. In fact, the people that had chosen to work on this were kind of boycotting the work.

And, you know, of course, what we had done is we had raised venture capital, more and more venture capital. You can't raise venture capital forever. And so we started trying to figure out how to make money. But it took about six months to convince the employees that it was okay to work on this. In fact, the people that had chosen to work on this were kind of boycotting the work.

And, you know, of course, what we had done is we had raised venture capital, more and more venture capital. You can't raise venture capital forever. And so we started trying to figure out how to make money. But it took about six months to convince the employees that it was okay to work on this. In fact, the people that had chosen to work on this were kind of boycotting the work.

They didn't want to work on it. They were like, I don't really want to work on that. Eventually, what worked...

They didn't want to work on it. They were like, I don't really want to work on that. Eventually, what worked...

They didn't want to work on it. They were like, I don't really want to work on that. Eventually, what worked...

is that we are able to convince everybody, and I do believe this to be true, we are able to convince everybody that, A, making money is not evil, and B, that if you make money, you can use that to reinvest in your mission and actually grow a lot more and really fulfill your mission a lot faster.

is that we are able to convince everybody, and I do believe this to be true, we are able to convince everybody that, A, making money is not evil, and B, that if you make money, you can use that to reinvest in your mission and actually grow a lot more and really fulfill your mission a lot faster.

is that we are able to convince everybody, and I do believe this to be true, we are able to convince everybody that, A, making money is not evil, and B, that if you make money, you can use that to reinvest in your mission and actually grow a lot more and really fulfill your mission a lot faster.