Hinge & Meetic Hackathons
LINKEDIN - Hinge and Meetic held their annual hackathons, where teams across the organization come together to find new ways for people to form IRL connections. The Hinge winner was "Hinge IRL," a proposal to get more people on IRL dates by offering immediate options for nearby meetups with people who match your interests and timing. The Meetic winner was "Resonance." Resonance would use AI voice technology to capture a user's energy, personality, and truth, allowing micro-conversations to open the doors to real connections. Tinder's hackathon is in the fall.
Mark Brooks: Internal company hackathons are a GREAT way to build excitement and create real innovation. Does your company do an annual hackathon or innovation hothouse? Careful facilitation and lead-in are key. We can help.
| |
Dating App Coffee Meets Bagel Rolls out Identity Verification
THE STRAITS TIMES - Coffee Meets Bagel (CMB) has introduced identity verification in Singapore using government records accessed through Singpass, allowing users to confirm details like age, gender, and marital status via their national ID. ~70% of users are now verified. From July 15, users can filter out unverified profiles. A survey showed 75% of users had encountered fake profiles, with 81% supporting stricter identity checks. Scam complaints dropped from 0.56% to 0.21% since the rollout. While many welcomed the change, some raised privacy concerns. CMB says all data is encrypted, securely stored, and managed in line with Singapore's data protection laws.
by Lee Li Lin & Sarah Koh
See full article at The Straits Times
| |
How This Employee Perk Can up Your Dating Game
INC - Hinge gives its 300+ employees $100 per month to spend on dates or quality time with loved ones, promoting real-life connection as part of its benefits package. The perk applies to anyone - partners, friends, or family - and is shared in a company Slack channel. Hinge also offers a $3,000 annual "Be Your Best Self" fund for personal development and holds biannual summits and biweekly success-story sessions to maintain morale. While most U.S. companies are cutting wellness benefits, Hinge sees them as essential to fostering meaningful work and relationships.
| |
Bumble and Blackstone Cleared of Insider Trading Claims
BLOOMBERG LAW - The Delaware Chancery Court dismissed insider trading allegations against Bumble and Blackstone over a 2021 stock sale, siding with a board committee that found the claims too weak to proceed. Investors had alleged Bumble hid a drop in paying users ahead of Blackstone's $1B+ stock sale.
| |
Premium Matchmaking Market Set to Double by 2033
VERIFIED MARKET REPORT - The Premium Matchmaking Service Market report by Verified Market Reports (March 2025) estimates the market will grow from $1.2B in 2024 to $2.5B by 2033, at a CAGR of 8.9%. Growth is driven by rising demand for personalized, high-end dating services among affluent users, especially in Asia-Pacific. Online matchmaking now accounts for 60% of market revenue, with key players including It's Just Lunch, VIDA Select, and EliteMatrimony.
| |
Chat2Date Offers Voice-Only Alternative to Dating Apps
ZNEWSSERVICE - Chat2Date, a UK-based voice-led dating platform by GO Telecom, reports rising interest in conversation-based matchmaking as users grow tired of image-driven apps. Average call duration is 11 minutes, with sessions lasting up to 23 minutes. The platform removes photos, filters, and bios, connecting verified users via real-time phone calls. Human moderation and fraud prevention ensure safety. Founded in 2008, Chat2Date is available via landline and mobile across the UK, with free access for female users.
| |
Mark Brooks - State of the Dating Industry
LTR - Mark Brooks, industry veteran and LTR conference organizer, presents an in-depth overview of the state of the dating industry for 2024-2025. With decades of experience advising dating and social discovery platforms, Mark discusses the history, current landscape, and future projections for the industry. He covers key industry numbers, behaviors, and challenges, highlighting the role of AI, verification processes, and offline dating events. Mark also touches on user frustrations, market dynamics, and the evolving competitive landscape, offering insights into how dating platforms can thrive amidst growing complexities.
[**See the video here on YouTube**]
The April LTR was kindly sponsored by Dating Through Curiosity and Courtland Brooks
| |
Albanian Dating App dua.com Turns Five
LINKEDIN - dua.com launched five years ago, built in 100 days during COVID by a newly formed team. It now has ~1.1M Albanian users and is the leading Albanian dating app globally. The app has seen ~5M active conversations in the past two years, with an average of 58 people per day deleting the app after finding a partner. In 2024, it received 18K ratings with a 4.3 average and passed 1B views on social media. Revenue grew from zero in 2020 to $2.37M in 2023 and $3.16M in 2024. Despite major challenges, such as cash shortages, co-founder exits, technical and cultural hurdles, the company remains active and also acquired Spotted, a dating app for missed connections with ~5M registered users.
| |
Primal Dating: the Evolutionary Psychology Guide to Modern Relationships
OPW - Authors Tim Ash and Dr. Limor Gottlieb (recent interview guests on LTR42) just published their powerful new book Primal Dating: The unflinching evolutionary psychology guide to modern relationships. The book peels back the overlays of culture and looks at the underlying universals behind human mating and dating behavior from an evolutionary perspective. The asymmetries and significant differences between the sexes are explored in a direct and humorous style that makes it very approachable. The book includes practical guides for both women and men to get key insights, implement effective strategies, and fine-tune their tactics to increase the chances of ending up in better relationships. The book is available in paperback and ebook formats. For more information visit PrimalDating.com. I recommend reading this book. - Mark Brooks, Courtland Brooks
| |
Chapter 2 Dating Seeks £150K to Scale Niche Apps
OPW - Chapter 2 Dating is seeking £150K in investment to scale its three niche dating platforms designed for underserved communities. Chapter 2 Dating supports widows and widowers looking for long-term relationships, WidowsFire offers a space for intimacy within the bereaved community, and SoberLove connects sober and sober-curious individuals seeking relationships outside alcohol-focused environments. Launched in 2022, the company has ~20K users across the UK, US, Canada, and Australia, and has previously raised £250K from 14 investors across three rounds. It reported a 27% increase in monthly active users last quarter and a 405% YOY growth in recurring revenue.
| |
Grindr to Require Biometric Age Checks for Users
THE I PAPER - Starting later this month, Grindr will implement strict biometric age verification to ensure all users are 18+. This change follows pressure from UK media regulator Ofcom, which is cracking down on adult content platforms under the Online Safety Act. Previously, users could join by simply entering a birth date, allowing underage users, including some as young as 12, to access the app. The decision was spurred by an investigation that uncovered over 130 UK police reports of child abuse linked to Grindr since 2019. The new process will require users to submit a video selfie alongside an official ID.
| |
Muzz Holds First Offline Singles Event in Mumbai
SANGRI TODAY - On July 3, Muslim dating app Muzz hosted its first in-person event in Mumbai. The mixer offered a relaxed alternative to online swiping and traditional matchmaking, with games, one-on-one chats, and a rose exchange. Attendees connected by scanning QR codes, avoiding the pressure of sharing contact details.
| |
Reminder: LTR Edition 44 – Next Wednesday, July 9th at 1 PM EST
OPW - This is a reminder that LTR Edition 44 will take place next Wednesday, July 9th, at 1:00 PM EST. In this edition, Mark Brooks will be joined by Dr. Justin Garcia, Executive Director of the Kinsey Institute. Since 2010, Dr. Garcia has also served as Scientific Advisor to Match, where he contributes to the company’s long-running Singles in America study, an annual deep dive into the behaviors and attitudes of singles across the U.S. The conversation will explore Dr. Garcia’s research at the Kinsey Institute, key trends uncovered through over a decade of data, and the lessons these insights hold for leaders in the dating industry.
If you hold a full-time leadership role at an online dating company, you are welcome to join IDEA and LTR events for free. To RSVP, please contact [email protected].
This LTR is kindly sponsored by Dating Through Curiosity.
| |
Bumble CEO Warns of Decline, Criticises Staff Reaction to London Job Cuts
FINANCIAL TIMES - Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd told staff the company is in serious decline and may not survive without drastic cuts, warning that "dating apps are feeling like a thing of the past." Over 160 roles are being eliminated in London as part of a 30% global workforce reduction. Wolfe Herd criticized staff for "freaking out" and said the company's focus would shift to the U.S., citing a better talent pool. Despite the backlash, she insisted the reaction was overblown and offered staff the rest of the week off. Bumble plans to open a Silicon Valley office and launch new safety features amid falling revenues and shrinking user interest.
| |