TECH ROUND – In September 2021, the DOWN Hookup & Dating App introduced "Snap Match," a quick-matching feature that randomly connects users globally. This feature was developed in response to increased user loneliness during the pandemic, contributing to the app's significant growth in revenue and user numbers. "Snap Match" has been widely adopted, with 71% of members using it shortly after joining. The app focuses on facilitating real personal connections and plans to enhance "Snap Match" with new features like conversation icebreakers. DOWN aims to provide a platform for both casual hookups and serious relationships in a sex-positive environment.
Category: DOWN
DOWN Hookup App’s New “Snap Match” Feature Gets Users Virtual Connections Instantly
DATINGXP – May 19 – DOWN Dating & Hookup App launches Snap Match, a quick matching feature, which allows users to find virtual connections almost instantly, around the world. This feature was just launched this week, it's free and available on both Android and iOS.
Paktor Moves Into Live-streaming Via Merger Deal
TECH CRUNCH – Apr 26 – Dating app Paktor, 'The Tinder of Southeast Asia,' is moving into live-streaming and media content after it announced a merger deal with Taiwanese startup 17 Media. Paktor currently offers four dating apps – core service Paktor and acquired apps Down, Kickoff and Goodnight – while 17 Media's runs its 17 live-streaming app, photo social network Swag and video group chat service Lit. The new entity is expecting ~$100M in annual revenue and 50M users. The list of established companies moving into streaming is nearly endless. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitch, Momo, and fast-growing Kuaishou among others.
by Jon Russell
See full article at Tech Crunch
Update: M17 has raised an undisclosed amount in investment from Korean VC firm KTB Network as part of a larger round, which is due to close in a few weeks.
This post also appears on InternetDatingInvestments.
Paktor Continues Spending Spree: Acquires Taiwan’s Goodnight
SG NEWS – Feb 8 – Founded in 2015, Goodnight matches people with common interests, after which, they can engage in a voice chat of up to seven minutes. It claims a user base of ~500K. Paktor has formed a new division called Paktor Labs, which is a social apps accelerator headed by Colin Hodge, previously CEO and co-founder of Down and Sweet (two dating apps Paktor bought last month). Down and Sweet, Goodnight and Kickoff (acquired last May) will all be part of Paktor Labs. These newly acquired apps will increase Paktor's user base by ~7M, bringing the total number to 20M users.
by Yon Heong Tung
See full article at SGNews
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This post also appears on InternetDatingInvestments.
Paktor Acquires Casual Dating App Down
TECH CRUNCH – Jan 21 – The terms of the deal weren't disclosed, but the price was reportedly "several million". Colin Hodge, the founder and CEO of Down, will join the Paktor team and will run Down and Sweet apps. He will also be overseeing Paktor Labs and be responsible for acquiring other apps, amongst other things. Down started in 2013 (as Bang With Friends) and grew to 5M downloads, about 200k MAU and $1M annual revenue from in-app purchases.
by Katie Roof
See full article at Tech Crunch
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This post also appears on InternetDatingInvestments.
From Casual to Sweet: Colin Hodge’s New Dating App Targets Asia
TECH IN ASIA – Colin Hodge, founder of the Bang With Friends and DOWN apps, is launching a new dating app called Sweet, targeting a more romantic and less casual market, especially in Asia. Sweet aims to provide a wholesome dating experience by encouraging personalized compliments over generic messages. The app has seen significant growth, with 3.3 million users and 100,000 new users monthly. Hodge plans to expand Sweet in Southeast Asia, focusing on urban women seeking meaningful connections. Sweet has joined the MOX accelerator in Taiwan to help navigate the regional market and growth strategies.
Down Is Introducing Anonymous Texting
NY MAGAZINE – Jan 30 – Down, formerly known as Bang With Friends, is planning to introduce anonymous texting as a new feature of its hookup-centric dating app. Down tested out anonymous texting on Sunday, with 1% of its total users. Straight females were slightly more likely to send messages compared to straight men. To rein in the potential for anonymous harassment, Down will permit each user to message a given number only once.
Down And Tinder: A New Trend In Online Dating
SOFTONIC – Jan 15 – The recently re-branded Down app gives people the choice of 'getting down', or 'get a date' instead. The stats show British men chose to 'get down' 73% of the time, while women preferred to get down 84% of the time. With this app, users flip through Facebook friends and friends of friends. They chose who they'd be 'down' to get with, and wait for the match.
by Zuzanna Blaszkiewicz
The full article was originally published at Softonic, but is no longer available.
Which Dating Sites Got The Best And Worst PR In 2013?
OPW – Jan 3 – Here are the Courtland Brooks rankings of the top 10 and the worst 4 performing idating sites for PR in 2013. We used Meltwater News and our qualitative analysis.
Best
- Match
- eHarmony
- Tinder
- OkCupid
- AshleyMadison
- Grindr
- Down (BangWithFriends)
- HowAboutWe
- Spark Networks brands
- Zoosk
Worst
- TRUE
- FriendFinder
- Cupid
- White Label Dating
Online Dating Is Popular In Argentina
CLARIN.COM – Dec 2 – According to ComScore Argentina, 6.6% of the ~18K people surveyed in Sep this year visited dating sites. 27% of women were 15-24 years, and 24 % of men 25 -34. "Online dating has become a more attractive alternative," says Mariela Stescobich, Match.com spokeswoman for Latin America. Match.com claims 2.1M members from Argentina and visits grew 185% last year. Popular mobile apps in Argentina are Tinder, Badoo, Down and Grindr.
by Mariana Israel
See full article at Clarín.com