Category: Outlets – Tech Crunch

Bumble Ends Its Women-First Messaging Rule

Posted on August 12, 2026
Bumble logo

TECH CRUNCH – Bumble has ended its women-message-first rule, a major shift from the principle on which it built its brand in 2014. Either person can now start a conversation, and matches have 72 hours to respond instead of 24. CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd described the update as an evolution rather than a retreat from the company’s original mission. The company said 66% of women surveyed preferred men to message first. Bumble began relaxing the rule in 2024 with Opening Moves, a feature that allowed women to set a question on their profile that a man could answer. The latest change comes as the company tries to revive its struggling business.

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Facebook Introduces Free Verification

Posted on July 29, 2026
Facebook verified

TECH CRUNCH – Facebook is rolling out Facebook Verified, a free system that allows users to confirm they are real people by taking a selfie. A verification check mark will appear on their profiles across Facebook Dating, Marketplace and Groups. The system is separate from the paid Meta Verified subscription and is intended to help users assess the authenticity of people they interact with.

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Hinge Founder Raises $18M for AI Matchmaking Startup Overtone

Posted on July 15, 2026

TECH CRUNCH – Justin McLeod, founder of Hinge, has raised $18M for his new company, Overtone. It is an AI-powered matchmaking service that will use AI and voice conversations to understand users and make a small number of carefully curated introductions, explaining why each match is a good fit. The app is backed by Match Group, FirstMark Capital, and Pace Capital. The company also announced that relationship expert Esther Perel has joined its board alongside Match Group CEO Spencer Rascoff.

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WeRoad Raises $58M From Airbnb, Brings WeMeet Social Events Platform to the U.S.

Posted on June 9, 2026
Logo of WeRoad

TECH CRUNCH – Milan-based company WeRoad has raised $58M in a Series C round led by Airbnb as it prepares to expand into the U.S., starting with Austin. The company generated €130M ($148M) in revenue in 2025 and took ~100K travelers on group trips. In 2025, WeRoad also launched WeMeet, an app focused on local in-person gatherings such as dinners, hikes, yoga classes, running groups, after-work drinks, and board game nights. ~50K people attended WeMeet events across 35 cities last year, while the app reached 150K downloads. WeRoad says WeMeet will play a central role in its U.S. expansion strategy, helping it build local communities before expanding further.

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Mark Brooks: This is one to watch. We Road runs great escapes. We Meet is their social play. It’s proving more challenging than they thought to get the social play up and running.

Clarifai Deletes 3 Million Photos That OkCupid Provided to Train Facial Recognition AI

Posted on April 22, 2026
OkCupid data leak

TECH CRUNCH – Clarifai has now deleted 3M OkCupid photos and the AI models trained on them. This is the first clear confirmation that the data was actually used for facial recognition training. The deletion follows the FTC case against OkCupid and Match Group, which settled without admitting wrongdoing.

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Match Group Cuts COO Role Amid Gen Z Slowdown

Posted on March 6, 2026
Match Group

TECH CRUNCH – Match Group has eliminated the Chief Operating Officer role, leading to the departure of COO Hesam Hosseini after 18 years with the company. The decision comes as the dating-app industry faces declining engagement, particularly among Gen Z users. The change is part of a broader restructuring under CEO Spencer Rascoff, aimed at streamlining operations and cutting costs.

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Tinder Tests “Chemistry,” an AI Feature Designed to Reduce Swipe Fatigue

Posted on February 5, 2026
tinder chemistry

TECH CRUNCH – Tinder is testing an AI feature called Chemistry to reduce swipe fatigue and dating app burnout. Currently piloted in Australia, the feature asks users questions and, if they opt in, analyzes patterns in their phone photos (such as hobbies, travel, or pets) to better understand interests. Instead of endless swiping, Chemistry delivers a small number of more relevant match suggestions.

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Known Raises $9.7M to Test Voice AI Dating App Focused on Faster In-Person Dates

Posted on December 22, 2025
Logo of the company 'known' designed in a modern font against a light background.

TECH CRUNCH – Known has raised $9.7M in funding as it tests a voice AI–driven dating app designed to move users toward faster in-person dates. The San Francisco–based startup replaces traditional profiles with long, conversational voice onboarding sessions that capture nuanced preferences and improve matching. In a local beta, the company says about 80% of introductions led to real-life dates, far higher than swipe-based apps. Matches must accept introductions and agree to dates within short time windows to reduce ghosting, and the app also helps schedule dates and choose restaurants. Known is currently testing in San Francisco ahead of a broader launch.

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Hinge CEO Steps Down to Launch Overtone, an AI Dating App

Posted on December 10, 2025
Justin McLeod

TECH CRUNCH – Hinge CEO Justin McLeod is stepping down to launch Overtone, a new AI-driven dating product backed by Match Group, which will take a major ownership stake. Incubated inside Hinge, Overtone aims to use AI and voice tools to create more personal, thoughtful connections. McLeod joins other founders like Bumble’s Whitney Wolfe Herd in pursuing standalone AI matchmaking concepts as Gen Z grows increasingly disillusioned with traditional dating apps. Meanwhile, Hinge continues to lean into AI under incoming CEO Jackie Jantos, whose new features have already lifted user engagement. McLeod will remain an advisor through March as Hinge stays on track for $1B revenue by 2027.

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Hinge’s New AI Feature Helps Daters Move Beyond Small Talk

Posted on December 9, 2025
Hinge Convo starter

TECH CRUNCH – Hinge launched “Convo Starters,” an AI feature that gives personalized suggestions for how to start a conversation when liking someone’s profile. The tool responds to user complaints about silent likes and boring small talk, and Hinge says daters are twice as likely to get a date when they add a comment. It builds on Hinge’s earlier AI Prompt Feedback feature, though Gen Z remains uneasy about AI in dating. Match Group is investing $20–30M into AI development across its apps.

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