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“Fun, Free, and Effective”: How Duolingo’s Sean Colombo Describes the App’s Popularity in India!
Duolingo’s mission to make high-quality education accessible to all has driven the app’s growth worldwide, including its significant rise in India. According to Sean Colombo, Duolingo’s global VP of engineering, the app’s appeal lies in its simple approach: being “fun, free, and effective.” Launched in 2013, Duolingo experienced a surge in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic as people sought ways to learn new languages from home.
Duolingo’s Journey and User Growth
In an in-depth conversation with indianexpress.com, Colombo reflected on Duolingo’s journey, user growth, and success in both global and Indian markets. Originally launched in 2012 by Luis von Ahn, known for creating CAPTCHA, and Swiss computer scientist Severin Hacker, Duolingo quickly grew into one of the world’s leading language-learning platforms. The app’s unique focus on languages stems from its real-world impact on individuals’ career prospects. Unlike traditional education paths that require credentials, language skills can enhance job opportunities across multiple industries, offering an immediate advantage.
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
The pandemic accelerated Duolingo’s growth as more users turned to digital learning. The app gained mainstream visibility, solidifying its presence in pop culture and significantly expanding its user base. Today, Duolingo boasts over 100 million monthly active users worldwide, including over a million daily users in India, which has become the app’s fifth-largest market.
India’s Growing Market for Language Learning
India represents a key growth market for Duolingo. Colombo emphasized that the app’s popularity has been organic, with strong user growth across the country. To cater to India’s linguistic diversity, Duolingo has introduced courses in Hindi, Bengali, and Telugu, with Tamil and Punjabi expected soon.
Accessibility Initiatives
Colombo noted that to improve accessibility, Duolingo has prioritized Android compatibility and kept the app size small, making it more accessible in rural areas. The company has ramped up its hiring in Bengaluru to strengthen its local engineering and product teams.
Duolingo first entered the Indian market in 2016, initially offering English courses for Hindi speakers. Since then, it has expanded to offer additional languages such as Bengali in 2022 and Telugu in 2023. Today, the most popular languages for Indian users include English, Hindi, Japanese, French, German/Spanish, and Korean. Notably, 78% of Indian learners are under 30 years old, with motivations ranging from academic and professional development to brain training and reconnecting with family members abroad.
User-Centric Design and Data-Driven Improvement
Colombo attributes Duolingo’s success to its simple, user-friendly design and extensive data-driven improvements. By leveraging data from millions of users, the app is constantly fine-tuned to enhance engagement and reduce complexity. “We make learning engaging yet accessible, which is essential to keep users motivated,” Colombo stated.
Expanding Beyond Languages
Beyond language learning, Duolingo has expanded into math and music education following its public listing. For instance, Duolingo’s music course uses cutting-edge features such as pitch detection, allowing users to practice real instruments while the app tracks their progress.
AI: The Future of Language Learning
Artificial intelligence plays a significant role in Duolingo’s platform, transforming how language skills are taught. Colombo explained that AI-powered models can predict a user’s likelihood of success on exercises, making lessons challenging yet approachable. He believes that the future of language learning will increasingly rely on AI-driven tools, including generative AI and live conversation-based exercises.
Enhancing User Experience with AI
AI integration allows for personalized learning experiences tailored to individual users’ needs. This adaptability enhances engagement by providing targeted practice based on user performance.
Conclusion
According to Colombo, Duolingo’s unique appeal comes down to its core values—being “fun, free, and effective.” These elements are supported by expert linguists and a gamified experience that has created a platform balancing educational rigor with user engagement.
As Duolingo continues to expand its offerings and adapt to user needs in diverse markets like India, it remains committed to fulfilling its mission of making quality education universally accessible. The integration of AI tools further positions Duolingo as a leader in language learning innovation while empowering users to achieve their educational goals effectively.
Hyderabad, January 13, 2026 Neeman’s, India’s leading D2C footwear brand famed for sustainable shoes and patented PIXLL® technology, has raised $4 million from existing investors. This funding boosts its cumulative capital past $10 million since 2015, with a post-money valuation nearing $50 million. CEO Vijay Chahoria emphasized offline retail as the “next frontier,” planning 50+ new stores in Tier 2/3 cities like Jaipur and Lucknow to blend eco-friendly innovation with hands-on customer experiences.
In India’s booming D2C ecosystem where footwear sales hit ₹1.2 lakh crore in 2025 Neeman’s targets hybrid retail amid high online CAC and 25-30% returns. Backed by vegan, machine-washable shoes priced ₹2,000-4,000, the brand leverages PIXLL® (5x more breathable than leather) for carbon-neutral comfort. Recent 5x revenue growth to ₹100 crore ARR, 1M+ pairs sold via Myntra and stores, and awards at India D2C Summit 2025 position it ahead of rivals like Paaduks.
Neeman’s offline expansion India eyes the $15B sustainable footwear market by 2028, fueled by PLI schemes, Gen Z’s 70% eco-preference (Nielsen), and Southeast Asia exports. Challenges like real estate costs are offset by data-driven inventory and omnichannel QR tech. Watch for Q1 2026 launches in Hyderabad and Bengaluru redefining D2C success through authentic, “Wear the Change” branding.
The Centre is weighing the option of revoking X’s safe harbour status in India after its AI chatbot Grok was allegedly misused to generate and circulate obscene and sexually explicit content, including material seemingly involving minors. The IT Ministry has already issued a notice to X, directing the platform to remove unlawful content, fix Grok’s safeguards, act against violators, and submit a detailed compliance report within a tight deadline. If the government finds X’s response inadequate, it could argue that the platform has failed to meet due‑diligence standards under Indian law, opening the door to harsher action.
Under Section 79 of the IT Act, safe harbour protects intermediaries like X from being held directly liable for user‑generated content, provided they follow due‑diligence rules and promptly act on legal takedown orders. Revoking this protection would mean X and its officers could be exposed to criminal and civil liability for obscene, unlawful, or harmful content that remains on the platform, including AI‑generated images from Grok. This prospect significantly raises X’s compliance risk in India and could force tighter moderation, stricter AI controls, and more aggressive removal of flagged posts.
The Grok episode also spotlights the regulatory grey zone around generative AI, where tools can create harmful content at scale even without traditional user uploads. Policymakers are increasingly questioning whether AI outputs should still enjoy the same intermediary protections as conventional user posts, especially when they involve women and children. How the government ultimately proceeds against X over Grok misuse could set a precedent for AI accountability, platform responsibility, and safe harbour interpretation in India’s fast‑evolving digital ecosystem.
Home services startup Pronto is in advanced talks to raise about $25 million at a near-$100 million valuation, underscoring strong investor confidence in India’s fast-growing 10-minute home services market. This potential round would be the company’s third major funding milestone after its $2 million seed and $11 million Series A in 2025, backed by marquee investors such as General Catalyst, Glade Brook Capital, Bain Capital and new participant Epiq Capital. The fresh capital is expected to further strengthen Pronto’s positioning as a leading tech-led household help platform for urban consumers.
Pronto operates a 10-minute on-demand home-services platform that connects users with trained, background-verified workers for everyday tasks like sweeping, mopping, utensil cleaning, laundry and basic cooking. Using a hub-and-spoke, shift-based model, the startup stations workers at hyperlocal hubs, enabling sub-10-minute fulfilment and more predictable earnings compared to the informal domestic-help market. Founded in 2024 by Anjali Sardana and based in Delhi NCR, Pronto has already expanded from Gurugram into major cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Pune, and is handling around 6,000 daily bookings with nearly 1,300 active professionals as of December 2025.
The upcoming $25 million fundraise is expected to be used to enter more metros, deepen presence in existing neighbourhoods with additional hubs and upgrade Pronto’s technology for smarter routing, shift planning and real-time operations. A significant portion of the capital will also go into training, retention and benefits for its workforce to maintain consistent service quality at scale, especially as competition heats up from rivals like Snabbit and Urban Company in the rapid home services space. This near-$100 million valuation not only validates Pronto’s model but also highlights a broader shift toward organised, tech-driven domestic-help solutions in India’s largely informal home-services market.
Dazzl Raises $3.2M Seed Funding Led by OYO’s Ritesh Agarwal for AI Skincare Expansion
D2C Brand Neeman’s Raises $4 Million for Tier 2/3 Store Expansion & Eco-Friendly Shoes
Paytm Grants ₹16.7 Crore ESOPs To Employees Under 2019 Stock Option Plan
Dazzl Raises $3.2M Seed Funding Led by OYO’s Ritesh Agarwal for AI Skincare Expansion
D2C Brand Neeman’s Raises $4 Million for Tier 2/3 Store Expansion & Eco-Friendly Shoes
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