Duolingo Acquires London Animation Studio Animade

The Animade team will join Duolingo's Design Studio, a move the company says expands its capacity for product innovation and creative initiatives while strengthening its creative presence in the UK.

Mig Reyes, Head of Design at Duolingo, said motion design has become a core part of how the company helps learners understand and return to the app, and described the acquisition as an investment in the people and capabilities behind its learning experiences. Jen Judd, Co-Founder of Animade, said the studio's mission has centred on sharing joy through thoughtful design and animation, and that joining Duolingo would allow that work to continue.

The Stuttgart-based employee experience company will invest in AI infrastructure for deskless roles, backed by returning investors and a new stake from state development bank L-Bank.