karin tsai, director of engineering at duolingo, will be speaking at techcrunch city spotlight: pittsburgh on june 29

Pittsburgh TechCrunch City Spotlight: An Upcoming Event

The TechCrunch City Spotlight on Pittsburgh is rapidly approaching, promising insightful discussions with prominent figures. Featured speakers include Farnam Jahanian, President of Carnegie Mellon University, and Mayor Bill Peduto.

However, the speaker lineup culminates with Karin Tsai, Engineering Director at Duolingo, a company currently valued at $2.4 billion. Duolingo’s core mission centers around delivering enjoyable and accessible language education.

Event Details and Registration

This event is scheduled for June 29th. Registration is currently open and free of charge, offering attendees the opportunity to listen to engaging conversations, observe a pitch competition, and connect with local innovators.

Karin Tsai’s Journey with Duolingo

Tsai began her tenure at Duolingo in 2012 as an early engineer. She has directly observed the company’s evolution from a fledgling startup to a global organization employing over 400 individuals.

Her long-standing involvement has positioned her as a crucial figure in key strategic decisions, including feature prioritization and monetization strategies—all while upholding Duolingo’s commitment to free educational access.

The Complexities of Language Learning Technology

Despite the user-friendly interface and playful design elements, such as the iconic owl, the field of language learning is inherently complex. Successful development necessitates rigorous debate and extensive testing.

Balancing Efficacy and Engagement

“Our aim is to develop an experience that fosters genuine language proficiency while simultaneously meeting learner expectations for enjoyment and convenience,” Tsai explained during a previous interview regarding Duolingo’s EC-1 initiative.

“Achieving a balance between effective learning and user engagement is a continuous challenge for our team.”

A/B Testing and Data-Driven Decisions

During the event, Tsai will detail how Duolingo leverages A/B testing to address critical questions. The discussion will also explore broader themes, including recognizing when to abandon attempts to quantify the immeasurable and trusting intuition when testing yields inconclusive results.

Tsai previously shared that Duolingo dedicated years to identifying a single metric capable of measuring both learning comprehension and user engagement.

“We were previously hindered by the belief that such a metric was essential for progress,” she stated. “Ultimately, we realized that waiting for this metric was preventing us from moving forward.”

Audience Participation and Q&A

I will be conducting the interview with Tsai. Registered attendees are encouraged to submit questions for her, which I will endeavor to incorporate into our conversation.

Diverse Perspectives on the Pittsburgh Startup Ecosystem

Tsai will offer insights from a startup builder’s perspective. Mayor Peduto will address the challenges of fostering a thriving startup ecosystem. Carnegie Mellon University President Farnam Jahanian will discuss the pathway from student to successful startup, emphasizing the importance of available resources.

Pitch Competition for Early-Stage Startups

Don’t miss the opportunity to register for this free event on June 29th (register here). You can participate in the discussions and network with fellow attendees.

Early-stage startup founders located in Pittsburgh are invited to apply to pitch their ventures (apply here). Participants will deliver a two-minute live pitch, receive feedback from local venture capitalists, and compete for the top prize in our pitch-off.

I am looking forward to seeing you there!