Duolingo Buys London’s Animade, Its Third Animation Studio In Four Years

Duolingo continues to build one of the most substantial in-house animation operations outside the traditional entertainment business and has now acquired Animade, a 15-year-old London-based animation and motion design studio. The studio is known for character animation, interactive experiences, product storytelling, and motion systems created for technology companies and consumer brands.

As outlined in a press release, Animade’s team will join Duolingo’s Design Studio to work on product innovation, growth experiments, and other creative initiatives. The acquisition also gives Duolingo a larger creative base in the U.K. The document did not disclose the financial terms.

This is Duolingo’s third purchase of an animation or motion design studio in the last several years. It bought Detroit’s Gunner in 2022 after working with the company on in-app animation, marketing, and its Duolingo ABC literacy app. In 2024, it acquired Gunner’s sister studio Hobbes, adding 12 employees and establishing a dedicated motion design team.

Duolingo’s animation ambitions extend beyond its educational offerings. Last year, it partnered with Titmouse on The Final Test, a five-part anime-inspired series starring company mascot Duo.

Duolingo head of design Mig Reyes said in the release:

Great products aren’t defined only by what they do, but by how they make people feel. Motion design has become a core part of how we help learners understand, enjoy, and return to Duolingo every day. Animade has built a reputation for exceptional creative craft, and bringing their team into Duolingo is an investment in the people and capabilities that will help us build even better learning experiences.

Having caught some flak online for integrating AI into parts of its portfolio, Duolingo has framed the Animade acquisition as an investment in human creativity as AI accelerates software development. The release explains:

As AI continues to accelerate how software is built, Duolingo believes exceptional human creativity remains a critical differentiator. By investing in world-class design talent, the company is strengthening its ability to create intuitive, delightful experiences that help millions of learners stay motivated and achieve their goals.