The person behind the research
Ali Abouelatta
Cofounder of Lazyweb (a16z Speedrun). Previously grew subscriptions and built native ads at Duolingo. Writes First1000 (90,000+ subscribers).
I co-founded Lazyweb, backed by a16z Speedrun. In my downtime, I write about agent-led growth on Mudpie and human-led growth on First1000 (90,000+ subscribers). Before Lazyweb, I spent almost half a decade at Duolingo. I owned purchasing and subscription surfaces responsible for 50–60% of the company’s revenue, then built its native ads system and turned it into a direct advertising business.
Read First1000 · Follow on X · My Duolingo background
How I approach this work
A useful opinion should survive a reader checking the sources. Research notes separate what was measured, what someone else reported, and what I think it means. Dates describe real edits and observations, not an automatic freshness badge.
Disclosure
I cofound Lazyweb and publish Mudpie. This is an owner-written publication, not an independent testing organization. Research notes distinguish observations, sourced reporting and editorial judgment.
Biography, funding and subscriber figure supplied by the author and updated September 19, 2026. Duolingo work is also described in the linked First1000 biography.