Duolingo was co-founded by Luis von Ahn and Severin Hacker as a language-learning startup designed to make education widely accessible.
The idea took shape in 2009 at Carnegie Mellon University, where computer-science professor von Ahn worked with his Swiss-born graduate student Hacker. They originally explored using language learners to help translate online content. The education platform became the more prominent result of that project, combining lessons with game-like exercises and a free-access philosophy.
Duolingo’s private beta began in 2011, followed by a public release in 2012. Its familiar green owl, named Duo, became a recognizable symbol of the service. The company later expanded beyond language courses into products such as the Duolingo English Test, Duolingo ABC, mathematics, music, and chess.
People sometimes confuse Duolingo with older language-learning brands such as Rosetta Stone or Babbel. The founders are also sometimes described only as von Ahn and Hacker’s university project, but both are specifically credited as Duolingo’s co-founders. Von Ahn became chief executive, while Hacker became chief technology officer.