“WE HAVEN’T SPENT A CENT ON MARKETING” is a common boast for many edtech companies that claim they’ve spread solely by word of mouth. Language learning app, Duolingo is apparently in this category—although it did get a boost from a mention from Bill Gates during a Reddit AMA. Tech in Asia probes how the Pittsburgh, PA-based startup borrowed gamification tactics from Candy Crush to keep its 110 million users engaged without spending anything on marketing. (Of course, it also helps when your founder sold his previous startup to Google and gave a popular TED Talk.)
