Duolingo, the language learning platform known for its green owl mascot, is opening an office in Soho to serve as its European headquarters.
The move marks the company’s first official on the ground presence in the UK “and reflects Britain’s position as a global tech and AI hub,” it said.
The UK is one of Duolingo’s largest markets, with users completing billions of exercises per year. The most popular languages learned by UK users include Spanish, French, and German, with Welsh also ranking in the top 10.
The new London office will serve as Duolingo’s European hub, hosting teams across product, marketing, engineering, and business development. The company already has nearly 30 London staff and plans to expand its local tech workforce.
Luis von Ahn, co‑founder and CEO of Duolingo, said: “At Duolingo, we believe great ideas are born at the intersection of technology, creativity, and local culture.
“Establishing our European hub in London underscores our confidence in the UK as a global centre of AI and tech innovation - and our desire to be part of that story.”
Minister for Investment Jason Stockwood said, “Duolingo’s choice to establish its European headquarters in London highlights the UK’s position as a world leader in science, innovation and technology.
“This investment is a clear demonstration of confidence in our thriving digital economy and our ability to attract global talent. It will create new jobs, strengthen the UK’s AI and education technology sectors, and reinforce Britain’s reputation as the best place to invest, grow, and innovate.
“Duolingo’s focus on education also supports our ambition to boost skills and expand learning across the UK.”
Alongside the establishment of the London office Duolingo has snapped up the team behind London-based music gaming startup NextBeat.
The team is made up of 23 specialists in game design, user retention and monetisation, sound design, and music licensing.
Founded by Simon Hade, Olly Barnes and Joe Adams, the NextBeat studio is known for hit rhythm games like Beatstar and Country Star – titles that racked up more than 100m downloads and nearly $200m in revenue.
Duolingo was founded in Pittsburgh in August 2011 by von Ahn and Severin Hacker. The public launch was in June 2012.
