Simon Hade

Simon Hade, co-founder of Space Ape Games and later a key player at Duolingo, shares his journey through the gaming industry and beyond. He dives into the challenges of fundraising and the importance of cohesive teams at Playfish and Space Ape. Simon discusses the lean LiveOps philosophy that attracted Supercell and the complexities of music game licensing at NextBeat. He contrasts the intrinsic motivations behind learning apps versus games while revealing the relentless optimization culture at Duolingo. His insights highlight the emotional costs of being a founder and the importance of curiosity in staying driven.