Work Here?
Overview
Gunner is a nonprofit that provides path-agnostic training for animation careers, removing the traditional college requirement. It partners with industry experts to design a curriculum and with studios and agencies to host students while they study, supported by donors to cover most or all costs. How it works: students enroll in a curriculum built with industry input, gain hands-on learning, and receive placement or hosting opportunities from partner studios during enrollment, with financial support that reduces or eliminates tuition. What sets Gunner apart: it directly links education to real-world studios and agencies and offers a near-cost-free pathway, aiming to democratize access for people of all genders, races, abilities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Its goal is to lower barriers to entry in animation by providing affordable, supported training and placement to underrepresented groups and others who lack traditional educational paths.
About Gunner
Industries
Industrial & Manufacturing
Energy
Company Size
1-10
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Detroit, Michigan
Founded
N/A
Get referred to Gunner
See people who can refer or advise you
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Q1 2026 DAUs reached 56.5 million, up 21%, and paid subscribers hit 12.5 million.
- Duolingo launched 20,500 new course units in Q1 2026, expanding creative demand.
- Luis von Ahn said 2026 prioritizes user growth, supporting more brand and animation spending.
What critics are saying
- Duolingo’s AI-first roadmap can internalize motion graphics, reducing Detroit headcount over 2026-2027.
- OpenAI and Google keep launching conversational tutors, eroding Duolingo’s brand advantage by 2027.
- If Duolingo stalls before 100 million DAUs, Gunner loses strategic relevance and becomes fully absorbed.
What makes Gunner unique
- Detroit-born Gunner built Duolingo’s core character animation, brand art, and playful product identity.
- Duolingo acquired Gunner in October 2022, keeping its fifteen designers, illustrators, and animators.
- That embedded creative team links studio craft directly to Duolingo’s product and marketing engine.
Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?
Benefits
401(k) Company Match
United Healthcare (medical, dental, vision) with company contribution after 60 days
PTO: Unlimited plan after 60 days
Company-issued iPhone and MacBook
407
Company News
Duolingo has acquired its first-ever startup, an animation studio that has created art for the language learning app and the likes for Amazon, Dropbox, Spotify and Google. The startup, Gunner, is a Detroit-based business is moving from just being a partner with Duolingo, to a full-fledged part of the growing language learning business. Duolingo declined to reveal the terms of the deal including the purchase price; but considering the fact that the company went public last year, we’ll likely have the price of the deal during its next earnings and will update this story accordingly. Duolingo says that all of Gunner’s 15-person team will join staff as part of the acquisition. It also confirmed that the edtech company is opening up an office in Detroit, joining its other offices in Pittsburgh, Seattle, Detroit, Beijing and Berlin
There are no jobs for Gunner right now.
Find jobs on Simplify and start your career today
About Gunner
Industries
Industrial & Manufacturing
Energy
Company Size
1-10
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Detroit, Michigan
Founded
N/A
There are no jobs for Gunner right now.
Find jobs on Simplify and start your career today