Category: Outlets – Fast Company

Three Day Rule Launches Tai, an AI Matchmaking App

Posted on October 8, 2025
Three Day Rule AI matchmaker

FAST COMPANY – Elite matchmaking firm Three Day Rule (where services can cost up to $100K) is launching Tai, an AI-powered matchmaking app. Unlike dating apps that leave users swiping, Tai aims to replicate the work of human matchmakers by using 15 years of client data, post-date feedback, and AI models to recommend partners and provide coaching. The app offers a free tier (limited chats with Tai and matches) and a $99/month premium plan with guaranteed introductions. CEO Adam Cohen-Aslatei argues matchmaking succeeds 70–80% of the time versus 9–11% for dating apps, and the AI app is meant to make the model more affordable and accessible.

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Three Principles Fueling Hinge’s Growth

Posted on September 24, 2025
smartphone screen displaying the Hinge app

FAST COMPANY – At Fast Company’s Innovation Festival, Hinge CEO Justin McLeod said Hinge’s Q2 growth, revenue up 25% YoY and paying users up 18%, stems from three principles: keep the free experience strong (charge only for scarce, optional perks like Roses/Boosts), build for underserved users (e.g., Match Note for LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, single parents, people with STIs), and use AI where it’s useful (Prompt Feedback for better profiles, photo selection help, and “Are you sure?” checks before sending risky messages). He contrasted this with rivals’ declines (Bumble paying users −8.7% and revenue −7.6%; Tinder down 1.2M paid since early 2024, with Q2 2025 revenue −4.6%). Longer term, he expects AI to deliver highly personalized matches that reduce swiping.

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Bumble Launches BFF as Stand-Alone App

Posted on September 19, 2025
Bumble BFF app

FAST COMPANY – Bumble has spun off its friendship feature into a stand-alone app, BFF, positioning it as part of “The Great Frienaissance.” The app, now live in the U.S., uses interest-based matching, photo prompts, and a new Groups section powered by technology from community platform Geneva, which Bumble acquired in 2024. Research commissioned by Bumble shows 55% of young adults want more local friends, and one in four want friends to attend events with.

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CEO George Arison on Grindr’s Bold Shift to Becoming AI-Native

Posted on August 31, 2025
Close-up of a smartphone displaying the Grindr logo on a dark background.

FAST COMPANY – Grindr is positioning itself as an “AI-native” company under CEO George Arison, aiming to embed intelligence across its product and operations rather than treat AI as an add-on. Its new gAI (“Gay I”) initiative includes custom tools built for the LGBTQ+ community, filling gaps mainstream models can’t address. Early features include A-List, which summarizes and categorizes past chats; Discover, which recommends profiles worldwide instead of just nearby; and Insights, which reveals likely match dynamics not listed on profiles. The rollout is limited so far, but Grindr is betting that AI tailored to its audience will give it a lasting competitive edge.

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Hinge CEO Justin McLeod on AI, Loneliness, and the Push for Real-Life Connections

Posted on August 25, 2025

HingeFAST COMPANY – Hinge CEO Justin McLeod says the app facilitates millions of in-person dates each month and is focused on reducing digital fatigue among young people, who are spending less time together and reporting higher rates of loneliness. The company's partnership with Esther Perel introduced "Your World" prompts to help users spark conversations that lead offline. Looking ahead, McLeod sees AI as central to Hinge's evolution, enabling more personalized matching and guidance to help users create stronger profiles. He stresses that Hinge's strategy is not to follow competitors but to rely on user research and experimentation to stay ahead.

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Curated by the Courtland Brooks team

Grindr Surges Ahead as Bumble Struggles With Losses and Dating App Fatigue

Posted on June 30, 2025

GrindrFAST COMPANY – While Bumble struggles with declining revenue, user losses, and a 30% workforce reduction, Grindr is growing, posting a 25% YOY revenue increase and a rising stock price. Under CEO George Arison, Grindr has focused on innovation, launching features like Right Now and Albums, expanding into telemedicine (Woodwork), and targeting both dating and non-dating use cases within one app. Grindr's monthly active users grew to 14.5M, while Bumble lost 100K paying users in 2025. Arison criticizes rivals for focusing too much on monetization without product innovation, contrasting it with Grindr's strategy of building first, then monetizing. Unlike Bumble, which spun off Bumble for Friends into a separate app, Grindr integrates friendship and dating into one platform, aligning with its broader vision to become a "global gayborhood."

by Henry Chandonnet
See full article at Fast Company

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Tinder and Hinge Gave 3-Hour Pitches – Rascoff Saw Why One Is Winning

Posted on June 5, 2025

Tinder HingeFAST COMPANY – After taking over as CEO of Match Group in February, Spencer Rascoff, former Zillow CEO, set out to understand the company's 45+ dating apps, including Tinder and Hinge. With Match's stock down over 80% since 2021 and Tinder's growth stalled, Rascoff asked the leadership teams of Tinder and Hinge to each deliver a three-hour presentation. Tinder's team focused heavily on financials, product roadmaps, and internal culture. In contrast, Hinge's team began with deep consumer insights on how Gen Z and millennials date, think, and connect, only briefly mentioning financials at the end. Rascoff said this user-first mindset explains Hinge's 39% revenue growth and Tinder's stagnation. Days later, Tinder CEO Faye Iosotaluno resigned. Match shares rose 1.3% following the news.

by Yasmin Gagne
See full article at Fast Company

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Grindr Launches ED Drug Service for Users

Posted on May 7, 2025
WOODWORK by Grindr

FAST COMPANY – Grindr has launched Woodwork, a telehealth service offering erectile dysfunction meds to users in Illinois and Pennsylvania, with plans to expand nationwide by the end of 2025. Partnering with OpenLoop, the service provides mouth-dissolving versions of Cialis and Viagra, prescribed by clinicians trained in LGBTQ-inclusive care. Internal data showed over a third of Grindr users already use ED meds. The move marks Grindr’s entry into telemedicine as it broadens its platform beyond dating.

by David Salazar
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Inside the Grindr CEO’s ‘Hardcore’ Vision for the LGBTQ Dating App’s Future

Posted on May 6, 2025
Grindr CEO George Arison

FAST COMPANY – Grindr CEO George Arison outlines an ambitious vision to grow the LGBTQ+ platform beyond hookups, introducing AI-powered features like the “A-List” chat summary tool and launching telemedicine services, including ED treatments through Woodwork. Under Arison’s leadership, Grindr reported $345M in revenue in 2024 (up 33%) with over 1M paying users, bucking the trend of stagnation in dating apps. Arison stresses a “hardcore” work ethic, likens his leadership style to Elon Musk’s, and positions Grindr as a digital “gayborhood,” aiming to expand into areas like wellness and travel.

by Casey Newton
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Dating Is Even More Partisan in the Trump Era

Posted on March 31, 2025

Date Right Stuff logoFAST COMPANY – With Donald Trump back in office, politically charged platforms are booming – Bluesky spiked in November, Signal is trending again, and niche dating apps are racking up new users. As Americans increasingly avoid dating across party lines (71% of Democrats said they wouldn't date a Trump voter), app developers are leaning into politics. On the right, Date Right Stuff, co-founded by former Trump staffer John McEntee and backed by $1.5B from Peter Thiel, is gaining momentum after a rocky start. On the left, progressive apps have struggled to scale, often rooted more in resistance than strong demand.

by Henry Chandonnet
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