The founder of Hinge raised $18M to build a new AI dating service, Overtone
Hinge founder Justin McLeod has raised $18 million for his new venture, Overtone, an AI-powered dating service that prioritizes voice and audio interactions. The platform aims to move away from traditional swiping and algorithmic feeds to foster more meaningful connections.
Why it matters
This reflects a growing trend in the tech industry to address user burnout with current dating apps by rethinking the role of AI in matchmaking.
Hinge founder Justin McLeod announced an $18 million fundraise for his new dating company, Overtone .
McLeod stepped down from his CEO role at Hinge just last year, and Hinge owner Match Group — which also owns apps like Tinder and OkCupid — is helping to fund his new company, alongside FirstMark Capital and Pace Capital.
While details on the company are limited at this point, Overtone describes itself as “a voice- and audio-forward service, enabled by AI, that provides highly curated introductions.”
“Overtone is not a dating app,” McLeod wrote in a blog post . “By that I mean it’s not a social platform with profiles that reduce people to stats, quotes and photos. There are no opaque, algorithmic feeds trained on split-second impulses. And there’s no juggling likes, matches and chats across many people at once.”
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