Category: Outlets – Fast Company
Feeld: a Dating App for Unconventional Relationships
FAST COMPANY – Feeld, a 10-year-old dating app for "open-minded individuals," has grown its user base to hundreds of thousands across 100 countries, with 40% identifying as non-heterosexual and one-third as part of a couple. The app focuses on facilitating unconventional arrangements and a wide array of kinks or fetishes, promoting a more transparent and judgement-free dating experience. Feeld has designed its platform to encourage explicit sharing of desires and reduce stigma, offering premium features such as sending private photos or anonymous browsing at ~$12 per month. Ana Kirova, Feeld's co-founder and CEO, reveals that the company has been profitable since 2017, primarily through word-of-mouth advertising.
The Creators of Replika Unveil a New AI Dating App Called Blush
FAST COMPANY – The creators of the AI friendbot Replika have launched a new AI dating app called Blush. Blush is aimed at individuals who are using Replika for romantic and sexual relationships. Blush offers a variety of AI characters with different personalities and attributes, allowing users to chat and go on virtual "dates" with them.
Bumble Acquires Official, an App That Helps Couples Strengthen Their Relationship
FAST COMPANY – Bumble has acquired Official, an app designed to strengthen relationships for couples. Official offers features such as mood check-ins and date planning to help couples build stronger connections. This acquisition is part of Bumble's broader strategy to enhance the overall "ecosystem of love," which includes various stages of relationships from friendships to long-term partnerships. With Official's presence in over 45 countries and a user base of ~368K couples, Bumble aims to provide comprehensive support and resources for couples to nurture and deepen their relationships. Official will continue as a standalone app though Bumble says there are opportunities for Official and Bumble to collaborate.
by Jessica Bursztynsky
See full article at Fast Company
This post also appears on InternetDatingInvestments.com
Grindr Launches Web Version
FAST COMPANY – Grindr is introducing a web version for paying users to access the platform on desktop computers. The web version, known as "Grindr Web," features larger photos and the ability to view six profiles at a time while chatting and browsing potential matches. Initially available to "XTRA" and Unlimited subscribers, Grindr Web may expand to non paying users during its beta phase.
Malgosia Green Will Lead Match Group’s Asian Expansion
FAST COMPANY – Malgosia Green is three months away from uprooting her life in Vancouver and fully immersing herself in Singapore as CEO of Match Group Asia. She was appointed to the newly created role earlier this year by Match Group CEO Bernard Kim. Prior to taking over as CEO of Match Group Asia, Green led Plenty of Fish for five years. Malgosia Green will be focusing on expanding the company's presence in Asia, particularly in Japan, where there is significant potential for growth. ~50% of women and 70% of men in their 20s in Japan are single, according to a 2022 white paper from the Japanese Gender Equality Bureau. Green also aims to bring the Hinge app to new Asian markets in the coming quarters. It currently operates in India. Much of Green's mission is focused on Hyperconnect, the Seoul-based social media and video tech company Match acquired in 2021 for $1.73B. Part of that development will be in AI, Green says.
Tinder Explores $500/Month Subscription With ‘Tinder Vault’ for High-Value Dating Experiences
Dating App Snack Sends AI Avatars on Virtual Dates
Grindr Reports Revenue Growth of 34% in Fiscal Year 2022 Results
FAST COMPANY – Grindr reported 2022 earnings of $195M, a YOY growth of 34%, and expects its revenue to grow by 25% in 2023. The app also reported an increase in monthly average users to ~12M and paying users grew to 873,000 from 703,000 YOY. Grindr's CEO, George Arison, says that the company is looking at launching a lower subscription tier and improving its monetization by optimizing pricing segments better. The company is also adding more features to its app to convert non-paying users to paid or partly paid offerings. Despite the decline in Grindr's stock price since its debut in November, Arison is confident that the stock price "will take care of itself" as the company continues to show growth potential.
Hinge Is Rolling out Its $50 per Month Subscription Today
