Duck Duck Go: see PHOTOS of the search engine’s growing Paoli office

The offices of search engine DuckDuckGo are on the second floor of this Paoli home-style office on Paoli Pike near Lincoln Highway.

Inside a stylish home-style new construction off a main suburban Paoli thoroughfare, Gabe Weinberg is building the region’s tiny search engine that could.

This April, DuckDuckGo surged past the 1.5 million daily queries mark — significant, but a blip on the radar compared to the couple billion that Google serves every 24 hours.

Still, with the focus on privacy — Google personalizes your search experience and profits from that alteration, but we don’t, goes the pitch — Weinberg, who angel invests locally, has found himself a niche, and he’s growing. His offices reflect that.

DuckDuckGo team members in their Paoli office, from L to R: Caine Tighe, Zac Pappis, Gabe Weinberg and Russell Holt

Last December, Weinberg moved his business operations from his Valley Forge home to Paoli and began staffing. Now he has more than seven full-timers, four of whom work from Chester County, in addition to more than 20 freelancers, most of whom work virtually from around the world. (Most of his hires have come through people who were working in the DuckDuckGo open source community, says Weinberg).

The DuckDuckGo lounge, which features a fridge of drinks, Xbox and other games.

Just before DuckDuckGo takes over the floor above its second story, 1,500 square-foot, five-room office, Technically Philly visited Weinberg and crew. Just a 20-minute Amtrak trip from 30th Street and a short walk across bustling Lincoln Highway, Weinberg has been bullish on walkable suburban Philadelphia towns being able to support vibrant communities too.

DuckDuckGo cofounder Gabe Weinberg shows off past logos that appear on his office wall. Also in the shot is an unknown balding man.

Other updates from Weinberg:

• The 1.5 million daily query rate has continued, as DuckDuckGo is surpassing 45 million monthly queries.
• In March, DuckDuckGo will add the 1,000 square foot third-floor office above is 1,500 square foot space to accomodate its growth and allow for more events.
• As for revenue? Weinberg is known for experimenting but says: “We’re syndicating Microsoft’s ad feed, and that’s been working pretty well.”
• “The best way to get involved with us,” says Weinberg, “is to start on the open source side at DuckDuckHack.com.”

We’ve visited other cool suburban tech offices — check out Monetate’s.

[Full Disclosure: DuckDuckGo is a Philly Tech Week sponsor and Technically Philly also discussed business while visiting Weinberg.]