Oct 5, 2022

Duolingo Acquires Detroit Design and Animation Studio Gunner

Duolingo, the Pittsburgh-based language learning app maker of the same name, has acquired Detroit-based design and animation studio Gunner.

The connection between Gunner and Duolingo is not new; Gunner has played a key role in Duolingo's animation plans for the past two years, creating still images for the language learning app and Duolingo's early childhood literacy app, Duolingo ABC He has produced assets and animations for the company's language learning app and Duolingo's early childhood reading and writing app, Duolingo ABC. The company also produces graphics for the company's marketing campaigns.

Duolingo approached Gunner about the acquisition in April 2021; in an essay posted on Gunner's website, the team said they "spent about a year and a half mulling it over" and "after making sure everyone was on board, decided it was the right move for the future " he said. All 15 of the studio's employees will join Duolingo full-time and continue working out of the Detroit office.

According to Gunner, they were attracted to Duolingo's mission statement:

"To develop the best education in the world and make it universally available...

"The purpose of our work - and for whom it is for - has long been in the back of our minds, especially on client-driven projects," says the Gunner team.

"Duolingo's mission felt right, and we knew we could pour our energies into it.

Gunner will continue to produce non-branded content, R&D projects, and short-form content under its new owners, Duolingo. Sister studio Hobbes will continue to operate independently as a motion studio focused on product design and creative solutions for emerging technologies, with plans to launch an independent art and animation school in Detroit in 2024.

Ian Sigmon, co-founder of Gunner, expressed his sentiments in a press release: "While we have been fortunate to collaborate with many great brands as a studio, Duolingo has taken us by surprise over the last few years. Our artists put their heart and soul into every project, so it feels right to be in a company that invests in the arts and has a mission we believe in."

Luis Von Ahn, co-founder and CEO of Duolingo, added We know that the hardest part of learning a language or a new subject is staying motivated." Art and animation are the foundation of the Duolingo brand and we use them to make Duolingo a beloved daily habit in the lives of millions of learners."

Duolingo has taken a major step toward improving and expanding the visual component of its platform, hiring acclaimed animation executive Linda Szymenski as its first head of animation last October.