Toucan isn't a language app—it's a language parasite. This 4-person team built a browser extension that injects vocabulary lessons into every website you visit, turning your casual browsing into an immersive language course without a single flashcard.

"Toucan doesn't compete with Duolingo—it invades your existing browser habits."

The tech stack reveals their product philosophy: Next.js and React for speed, AWS for scale, and Amplitude for data obsession. This isn't a hackathon project—it's engineered for millions. Yet with only 4 employees, every dollar of that $300K revenue must be hyper-efficient. They're not building a platform; they're building a feature that lives in Chrome's ecosystem.

• Zero marketing spend on brand awareness—relying on direct traffic and word-of-mouth
• Acquired by Babbel (contact email is @babbel.com), proving the model's strategic value
• The 'dog translator' keyword hijack suggests they're capturing accidental traffic and converting it
• 48% direct traffic means they've achieved product-market fit with a specific user segment