Hinge founder raises $18M for AI dating startup Overtone
What's the deal? HingeDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → founder Justin McLeodDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has raised $18 million for OvertoneDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a new AI dating company. FirstMark CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Pace CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and Match GroupDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → — the owner of Hinge, Tinder, and OkCupidDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → — backed the round.
What's the endgame? Overtone describes itself as "a voice- and audio-forward service, enabled by AI, that provides highly curated introductions." McLeod plans to use AI to narrow down potential matches rather than automate conversations. "We make only the introductions that are worth making, grounded in relationship science and thoughtful reflection," he wrote.
Why now? Dating app users are increasingly dissatisfied. A 2024 Forbes Health survey found 78% of app users felt burnt out, spending about 51 minutes a day on apps for little payoff.
Who's on board? Relationship expert Esther Perel has joined Overtone's board, alongside Match chief executive officer Spencer RascoffDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and leadership advisor Diana Chapman. McLeod stepped down as Hinge's chief executive last year.
What could go wrong? McLeod is distancing Overtone from the swiping model he helped popularise. "Overtone is not a dating app," he wrote, rejecting profiles that "reduce people to stats, quotes and photos" and "opaque, algorithmic feeds." Convincing users burnt out on apps to trust yet another platform — and hand more of an intimate process to AI — is unproven. The service launches later this year in select locations only.
The signal: Overtone joins startups betting on AI-curated matchmaking over endless swiping. Match Group backing a rival to its own apps suggests the incumbent sees the swipe-based model reaching its limits.
Read more: TechCrunch
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