DATING NEWS – EliteSingles will shut down on April 30, 2026, giving users only a few days’ notice before all accounts, matches, and messages are permanently deleted. The closure is tied to ongoing financial trouble at its parent company, Spark Networks, which has been going through insolvency and bankruptcy proceedings despite recent restructuring efforts. Other Spark platforms like Christian Mingle and JDate are still operating for now, but their long-term outlook is uncertain.
DEALSEEK – According to a 2026 DealSeek survey of 1K U.S. singles, inflation is making dating more expensive. Many people are going on fewer dates and sticking to tighter budgets, usually under $75–$100. Low-cost ideas and financial honesty are now seen as attractive, while overspending and showing off wealth are turnoffs. At the same time, money pressure is changing behavior, with many singles misrepresenting their finances, trying to date higher earners, or even ghosting over financial issues.
FINSMES – Bumble Inc. has secured a $475M loan from STORY3 Capital Partners and other lenders. The company will use the funds, along with cash it already has, to refinance its existing loan.
STARTUPTICKER.CH – noii has launched in Germany, starting with its first event in Stuttgart, followed by expansion to Munich and Cologne. Originally launched as a video speed dating platform in 2022, noii shifted fully to offline dating events in 2025 after strong demand for real-life interactions. The model is already working in Switzerland, where noii hosts up to 15 events per month across six cities with ~2K participants.
OPW – Edition 51 of the LTR (Love, Tech, Relationships) online experience will be on Wednesday, May 6th, at 12 pm (noon) EST (New York time).
In this edition, Mark Brooks will interview Michael O’Sullivan about his new book, Dating App: How to Build, Survive and Thrive in the World’s Most Human Tech Industry. The conversation will explore the realities of building and operating a dating business, from managing churn and user acquisition to navigating fraud, payments, and regulation in one of the most complex consumer tech sectors.
Later, Mark will be joined by Marco van der Woude to discuss the rapid growth of Breeze and the emergence of next-generation dating apps, with a focus on shifting user behavior, product design, and the move toward more intentional, offline-first experiences.
If you hold a full-time leadership role at an online dating, social discovery, or matchmaking company, you are welcome to join LTR events for free.
Why attend LTR?
🏠 Flexible: Attend from anywhere – no travel required.
⏰ Convenient: Live session. 90 minutes.
💰 Free: No registration fees.
See the LTR Edition 51 speakers and invite page here.
This event is kindly sponsored by HubPeople, LeadThink, and Matchmaker.com.
Email mark@courtlandbrooks.com to RSVP.
PRESS RELEASE – Michael Cluzel, former co-founder of Eatigo, has joined dating startup Spark as co-founder. He previously scaled Eatigo to a $120M valuation and now partners with Founder & CEO Sunny Khurana to address a key gap in dating apps: turning matches into real-life meetings. Spark focuses on bookable, real-world experiences, like restaurants and events, to help users move from matching to actually meeting. The platform has launched its second version and is expanding in Southeast Asia.
BLOOMBERG – Seattle-based Sniffies (3m MAU) has a real-time map for gay hookups and is web-only due to app store content restrictions. The news caused Grindr shares to fall 2.5%. Match’s stock was little changed. Last Match purchased HER app. Match is winding down its existing Archer app, which it launched in 2023 to serve queer men. It will focus instead on supporting Sniffies.
FAST COMPANY – Madonna is promoting her new album Confessions II by partnering with Grindr, placing her profile directly in users’ grids. Tapping it reveals a voice message, exclusive content, and a limited-edition vinyl preorder. The campaign, Grindr’s largest so far, will roll out more content over time and targets its highly engaged LGBTQ audience.
HINGE – During the Date Ideas test, 54% of Hinge daters shared that the feature made them feel more confident asking someone out, and it led to more matches and dates. Ben Celebicic, Hinge’s CTO said, “date Ideas gives daters a clear, low-pressure way to signal they’re ready to meet.”
Date Ideas: daters select three Date Ideas to feature on their profile. Suitors then select one of the three activities and their availability (this week, this weekend, next week, next weekend) before liking or commenting with them. Available in U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia.
See full article at Hinge website
Mark Brooks: Nice. Next it would be nice to guide them on actual date venues, and specials. Dating can get expensive. Hinge has scale and can negotiate deals with promising new restaurants, book right into their systems, and take a small cut. That’s ‘found money’ in a tight dating market.
DIGIDAY – Last month, The League launched its first LinkedIn campaign, “Network here. Find me on The League.” It worked with 10 LinkedIn creators – founders and entrepreneurs – who were also verified The League members. It’s part of the dating app’s larger efforts to retool its media mix, exploring more niche channels outside of the usual suspects, like Meta and TikTok.
Mark Brooks: Courtland Brooks manages advocate-influencer campaigns on Youtube, TikTok and Insta. We’ve not looked at Linkedin, but we will now. I really like that The League recruited from within their community. Great move!