[ibimage==26830==Original==none==self==ibimage_align-right]
Built in Los Angeles would like to congratulate June’s Startup of the Month: Tinder! What started as a dating network is now aiming to become a discovery network for all kinds of relationships. Tinder, which launched in September 2012, features profiles that can be rated by other users. To date, the app has processed 5.7 billion users, meaning that many people have indicated a desire or lack thereof to meet another member. Not only that, Tinder has facilitated 60 million matches.
Justin Mateen, Chief Marketing Officer, says he is proud of the fact that the app has produced at least 20 marriages.
Recently, Tinder introduced a new feature called Matchmaker. This allows users to introduce any two people without exchanging any detailed personal information. “We realize that sending an email intro or an awkward text doesn't always feel natural, so with Matchmaker all you have to do is identify any two of your friends and click a button to introduce them,” Mateen says.
We caught up with Mateen to learn more about his company, their goals, and just why they took on the crowded dating market.
HOW DOES TINDER WORK?
We surface recommendations of people we think you should know and if you both mutually swipe right (say yes) we notify you that it's a match and make the intro for you.
WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU FACE DAY TO DAY?
Our biggest issue to date has been scaling to the overwhelming demand.
WHAT ARE SOME OF TINDER’S BEST FEATURES?
We do a pretty good job of filtering out the noise by only connecting two people that have already expressed a mutual liking in each other.
WHY DID YOU TACKLE THE DATING MARKET?
Tinder is more about social discovery in general. We realized there was a huge untapped audience that nobody was able to solve a fundamental problem for. We were able to attract this untapped audience not only by keeping the product simple, but also seeding the product in a way that would engineer organic word of mouth.
WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE REST OF 2013?
We have some fun new product features we are excited to be rolling out in the coming months, stay tuned!
Visit Tinder’s website, check out their BILA profile and follow them on Twitter at @Tinder.
[ibimage==26584==Original==none==self==ibimage_align-center]
