A daily newsletter summarizing recent activity & interesting start-ups globally
RECENT NOTABLE ACTIVITY – MATCHMAKING
- Tantan, a Beijing-based Tinder-like mobile dating platform, has raised $70M in a Series D round of funding led by Genesis Capital, ZhongWei Capital, SAIF Partners China and Huanju. Link
- Happn, a Paris-based mobile dating platform based on crossed paths, has raised an undisclosed amount in a Series C round of funding led by Lahari Music and Nimish Arora. Link
- Setipe, a Jakarta-based mobile dating portal offering one match per day, was acquired by Lunch Actually Group. Link
- Matrimony.com, a Chennai-based online matrimonial platform has received the final observation letter from the SEBI for its proposed IPO. Link
- Spark Networks and Affinitas, the operator of several online dating platforms have announced a stock-for-stock merger forming Spark Networks SE. Link
SOME INTERESTING STARTUPS FOUND
Mel&Jer (2016, Paris), a personality-based matchmaking
LEADER BOARD – MATCHMAKING
Matrimony- Listing
Matrimony (1997, Chennai, $20M) – Online matrimonial matchmaking platfo
Shaadi (1997, Mumbai, $8M) – Online matrimonial matchmaking platfo
Matrimony- Algo-based
Baihe (2004, Beijing, $256M) – Online algorithmic matrimonial matchmaking portal
Zhenai (2005, Shenzhen, $13M) – An online matrimonial platform with algorithmic matching. Backed by Match, SEAVI Advent, Bridger Capital, and MC Capital Asia Group.
Dating – Open Listings
Momo (2011, Beijing, $290M, IPO) – A Chinese dating and chat platform. Backed by Sequoia Capital, Tiger Global Management, DST Global, Alibaba Group, YF Capital, Matrix Partners China, and others. Went public in 2014.
Hi5 (2003, SF, $34M, Acq) – Online dating platform. Backed by Mohr Davidow Ventures, Crosslink Capital and Vencore Capital. Acquired by Tagged.
Badoo (2006, London, $30M) – Online dating and social networking platform. Backed by FINAM Global.
Dating – Mutual Likes
Tinder (2010, West Hollywood) – Mobile dating app based on mutual likes. Backed by Benchmark and a part of Match Group owned by IAC.
Tantan (2014, Beijing, $120M) – Mobile dating application based on mutual likes. Backed by SAIF Partners China, KPCB, DST Global, DCM Ventures, LB Investment, SS&C Technologies, Bertelsmann Asia Investment Fund, GX Capital, Yuan Jing Capital, among others.
Paktor (2013, Singapore, $57.5M) – A Tinder-like mobile dating application based on mutual likes. Backed by PT Media Nusantara Citra Tbk, YJ Capital, Majuven, SXE Ventures, Golden Equator Capital, Vertex Ventures, Convergence Ventures, K2 Global and Sebrina Holdings.
Dating – Profile Matching
eHarmony (2000, Santa Monica, $113M) – Online dating platform with questionnaire-driven personality-based matchmaking. Backed by Sequoia Capital, Technology Crossover Ventures, Fayez Sarofim, Tuputele Ventures, and others.
Zoosk (2007, SF, $43.5M) – Online dating platform that employs behavioural matchmaking. Backed by Canaan Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners, Plug and Play Tech Center, Crosslink Capital, Keating Capital, Amidzad Partners, among others.
Dating – Specialized
Grindr (2008, LA, $93M) – Mobile dating app for gay and bisexual people. Backed by Kunlun.
Blued (2012, Beijing, $32M) – Mobile dating app for gay individuals. Backed by DCM Ventures, China Mobile Games and Entertainment, CrystalStream, New World Development, Ventech, and Vision Knight Capital.
Leaderboard includes all the top funded, IPO and successfully running bootstrapped companies along with their location, founding year and funding amount.
For latest update visit Matchmaking feed.