TIVP062: Duolingo (DUOL): Generational Opportunity or fad? w/ Daniel Mahncke & Shawn O’Malley
The Intrinsic Value Podcast - The Investor’s Podcast Network
Why Duolingo Matters to Investors
Shawn explains why Duolingo divides investors and why Daniel chose to pitch it.
Daniel Mahncke and Shawn O’Malley take a deep dive into Duolingo — the leading language learning app with over 50 million daily active users and the chaotic green owl as a mascot. Since its IPO in 2021, Duolingo has expanded beyond language instruction to include math, music, and chess. The vision is to create the world's largest learning platform.
Some people believe Duolingo will succeed and become a company worth hundreds of billions of dollars, dominating one of the largest and most profitable markets – education. However, the stock has fallen 80% from its highs, as the market views Duolingo as a potential target for AI disruption.
IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:05:51 - About the mission of the CEO and Founder, Luis von Ahn
00:08:29 - Why Duolingo was founded
00:10:34 - Why Duolingo works better than other apps
00:17:16 - About Duolingo's user numbers and growth
00:37:55 - Why the stock dropped 80%
00:40:55 - Whether AI is a threat or an opportunity
00:53:47 - What the bull and bear cases look like
01:18:11 - Whether Shawn and Daniel add Duolingo to the portfolio
*Disclaimer: Slight timestamp discrepancies may occur due to podcast platform differences.
BOOKS AND RESOURCES
- The Investors Podcast Network is excited to debut a new community known as The Intrinsic Value Community for investors to learn, share ideas, network, and join calls with experts: Sign up for the waitlist(!)
- Sign up for The Intrinsic Value Newsletter.
- Learn how to join us in Omaha for the 2026 Berkshire Hathaway shareholder meeting.
- Track The Intrinsic Value Portfolio.
- Shawn & Daniel use Fiscal.ai for every company they research — use their referral link to get started with a 15% discount!
- Duolingo Investor Relations.
- Explore our previous Intrinsic Value breakdowns: Uber, Nike, Reddit, Nintendo, Airbnb, AutoZone, Alphabet, Ulta, John Deere, Madison Square Garden Sports.
- Related books mentioned in the podcast.
- Ad-free episodes on our Premium Feed.
NEW TO THE SHOW?
- Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Facebook.
- Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here.
- Try Shawn's favorite tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance.
- Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services.
- Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts.
References to any third-party products, services, or advertisers do not constitute endorsements, and The Investor's Podcast Network is not responsible for any claims made by them.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
The AI-powered Podcast Player
