Category: Reporters – Henry Chandonnet

Spencer Rascoff Restructures Tinder as Match Group Faces Decline

Posted on March 27, 2026
Logo of Match Group

BUSINESS INSIDER –  Spencer Rascoff has reshaped Tinder over the past year, taking over from Faye Iosotaluno. He is reorganizing the company into smaller, flatter teams, and operating it more like a startup. At the same time, Justin McLeod and Hesam Hosseini have exited, with the COO role not being replaced. The shift comes as Match Group faces pressure, with its stock falling from ~$150 to $30 and removal from the S&P 500, while Tinder downloads declined from 61M in 2021 to 48Min 2025. Meanwhile, Hinge is growing and on track to become a billion-dollar business. Rascoff is focusing on Gen Z and pushing new features to reverse Tinder’s slowdown and re-energize the app.

See full article at Business Insider

Bumble CPO Exits Amid Leadership Restructure

Posted on February 16, 2026
Logo of Bumble Inc.

BUSINESS INSIDER – Bumble’s Chief Product Officer Michael Affronti has left the company after a year as part of a leadership restructuring aimed at centralizing product, engineering, and design under one leader. CTO Vivek Sagi now becomes Chief Product and Technology Officer as CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd seeks to refocus the business and return to growth following a difficult year and executive turnover.

See full article at Business Insider

Grindr Plans Four New Consumer Businesses Targeting up to $120m in Revenue by 2028

Posted on January 15, 2026
Grindr

BUSINESS INSIDER – Grindr plans to build four new direct-to-consumer businesses by 2028, each targeting $15–30M in revenue (up to $120M total), according to an internal roadmap. After launching ED-meds brand Woodwork in 2025, the company aims to expand into areas like wellness and personal care, while scaling AI across the app beyond existing features. CEO George Arison says these ventures will start small with lean teams, marking a rare move for a dating app to diversify beyond subscriptions.

See full article at Business Insider

Testing AI Matchmakers: More Structure, Same Dating Fatigue

Posted on January 5, 2026
AI matchmaking

BUSINESS INSIDER – Two journalists tested four AI matchmaking services – Amata, Facebook Dating, Sitch, and Three Day Rule – to assess whether chatbot-led matching improved dating outcomes. After weeks of interacting with AI matchmakers, reviewing suggested profiles, and going on several dates, the conclusion was that AI added structure and convenience, such as slower matching, automated profiles, and date planning, but did not eliminate dating fatigue or materially improve results. Some dates occurred, mainly through Amata and Sitch, but overall the experience felt like a modified version of traditional dating apps rather than a fundamental change.

See full article at Business Insider

Dating Apps Turn to AI After User Growth and Revenue Declines

Posted on December 29, 2025

BUSINESS INSIDER – Dating apps including Tinder, Hinge, Bumble, and Grindr are investing tens of millions of dollars in AI-powered matchmaking to counter swipe fatigue, declining engagement, and falling paid-user numbers. Match Group’s stock is down ~75% over five years and its paying users fell 5% YOY, while Bumble’s share price is down ~50% this year, it laid off 30% of staff, and paying users dropped 18%. The companies are deploying generative AI for matchmaking, profile creation, flirting, and safety, with Tinder testing its Chemistry feature and Grindr launching AI-driven recommendation feeds. Analysts say AI alone cannot revive unpopular products. At the same time, AI-first startups are raising capital and entering the market, including Sitch, which has raised $9M and charges $90 for three matches, alongside new apps such as Known, Ditto, and Amata, while Facebook has introduced an AI dating assistant.

See full article at Business Insider

Spencer Rascoff’s Fast-Track Strategy to Win Back Gen Z

Posted on October 21, 2025
Tinder app icon

BUSINESS INSIDER – Tinder is undergoing a major cultural and structural overhaul under Match Group’s new CEO, Spencer Rascoff, as it struggles to regain momentum with Gen Z. After years of slowing growth, just 1% in 2024 and a 7% drop in paying users, Rascoff took direct control of Tinder, flattened its hierarchy, cut staff, and pushed for smaller, faster-moving teams operating like mini start-ups. Weekly product launches replaced twice-monthly updates, and Rascoff introduced a “ship ship ship” culture focused on user outcomes rather than revenue targets. The reset centers on winning back Gen Z, who make up about 60% of Tinder’s 50M monthly users but are increasingly disenchanted with dating apps. To counter this, Tinder has launched features such as College Mode, face verification, and Double Date. The company is also using AI tools to boost user confidence rather than replace human connection. Rascoff’s strategy is to make Tinder faster, leaner, and more collaborative while shifting its image from a hookup app to one that fosters safer, more meaningful interactions.

See full article at Business Insider

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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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
See full article at Fast Company

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New Competitors – Sniffies, Archer, and Motto – Challenge Grindr’s Dominance

Posted on October 2, 2024

Motto logoFAST COMPANY – Sniffies, Archer, and Motto are emerging competitors to Grindr by focusing on specific aspects of the LGBTQ+ dating scene. Sniffies emphasizes anonymous hookups through a map-based interface, catering to users exploring their sexuality. Archer, from Match Group, targets users looking for more genuine connections by requiring photo verification and focusing on dating rather than casual encounters. Motto, created by Grindr's founder, removes anonymity completely by requiring headshots. Despite these challenges, Grindr remains dominant, expanding its features and focusing on user needs.

by Henry Chandonnet
See full article at Fast Company

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Niche Dating Apps Gain Popularity, Offering Fresh Alternatives to Hinge and Bumble

Posted on August 7, 2024

Her logoFAST COMPANY – Smaller dating apps like HER, Feeld, and Happn are gaining traction by serving niche communities and offering alternatives to major apps like Bumble and Hinge. "They're not designed to be first-tier," says Eric Resnick, an online dating coach. "They're just designed to serve their niche really well." HER, targeting queer women and nonbinary individuals, boasts 15M users and is experiencing what founder Robyn Exton calls a "sapphic renaissance." Match Group operates community-based apps such as Archer, BLK, Chispa, and Upward. Happn, a French app, connects users who frequent the same locations, appealing to those tired of endless swiping. Feeld, popular among nonmonogamous users, allows users to list intimacy preferences and has seen significant growth among Gen Z.

by Henry Chandonnet
See full article at Fast Company