Bumble Inc

The dating industry remains a firm favorite for entrepreneurs who dream of founding the next breakout startup. But for many big-time investors, new dating platforms are risky ventures in a crowded market that may not be worth betting on. In honor of Valentine’s Day, Crunchbase News took a look at the relationship between startups, investors and the pursuit of finding a mate. Their status? It’s complicated.

Online dating has proved it can be an enormously profitable industry, yet despite producing impressive numbers, it often struggles to lure venture funding. “In 2018,” writes Joanna Glasner, “venture investors put $127 million globally into 27 startups categorized by Crunchbase as dating-focused. While that’s not chump change, it’s certainly tiny compared to the more than $300 billion in global venture investment across all sectors last year.”

Global venture investment in dating startups currently leans heavily toward companies based in China. Blued, a China-based dating app for gay men, received nearly 80 percent of dating-related capital in 2018. In 2017, Chinese mobile dating app Tantan received the bulk of dating investment. In 2014, Beijing-based matchmaking site Baihe raised a staggering $250 million.

Bumble Spotlight

So you want to be the center of attention? Bumble has announced a new feature called Spotlight that will do just that. When activated, Spotlight will bump your profile to the front of the line for 30 minutes, allowing you to be seen by more Bumble users than you would during a regular swiping session.

Spotlight will be available to all users who are willing to cough up two Bumble Coins (acquired through a separate in-app purchase) for the perk. One coin currently goes for $0.99 in the US or £1.99 in the UK. If you prefer to keep your promotional activities under wraps, have no fear that your Spotlight secret will be exposed. Your profile will not look any different to those browsing. On your own screen, stars will appear across the top of the app to indicate Spotlight has been enabled.

If you think the Spotlight feature sounds familiar, you are far from alone. It bears an obvious resemblance to Tinder’s Boost, which also promotes your profile in your area for 30 minutes. An icon appears next to new matches made during a Boost period, but other users see no indication you used the feature. Tinder Plus and Tinder Gold subscribers get one free Boost per month. Other users may purchase Boosts at any time.

Image: Bumble

A good ice breaker can help you make a memorable first impression and turn an online encounter into a real-life relationship. A bad ice breaker can be boring, confusing, awkward or send you viral for deeply embarrassing reasons after the recipient posts a mocking screenshot on Twitter.

So, how do you start a meaningful conversation with a match that avoids uncomfortable silences or public shaming? Bumble is here to help with a new Convo Starters Generator and a Convo Starters messaging feature.

The Convo Starters Generator, now available on Bumble’s The Beehive blog, helps women make the first move by suggesting opening lines based on personality type and interests. Start by choosing which of Bumble’s three modes you want to use - Bumble Date, Bumble BFF, or Bumble Bizz. The generator then updates to reveal sliding scales or check boxes with information relevant to the mode you selected.

Bumble confirmed that a new ad featuring its latest celebrity partner Serena Williams will debut during the first half of the SuperBowl.

According to AdWeek, Bumble teased a new campaign with the tennis star, admitting that it would coordinate with the SuperBowl, though it wasn’t clear if they were planning to air an ad during the game, one of the most-watched annual events in the U.S. (and one of the most expensive ad buys). Bumble has now confirmed their first SuperBowl ad will feature Serena Williams and their new campaign “The Ball is in Her Court.”

Bumble, a female-friendly dating app, is serious about its female-empowerment mission. Over the past few years, the brand has debuted offerings that appeal specifically to women, such as partnering with Moxy Hotels to offer BumbleSpot – verified locations where Bumble users can meet for dates, career networking, or potential new friendships - in an effort to create safe spaces for women.

Bumble is aligning itself with the stars in more ways than one – the female-friendly dating app now offers a new feature to let you filter your matches according to their astrological signs.

Bumble has allowed users to identify their own astrological signs in their profiles, but this marks the first time members will be able to filter matches by zodiac preferences. Bumble offers the filter across its platforms, including Bumble BFF and Bumble Bizz.

The new feature is Bumble’s response to young daters’ growing interest in astrology when it comes to forming relationships. It’s trendy now to analyze your astrological sign to determine your behavioral tendencies and who you are most compatible with, and many users are embracing the move by expressing their support over social media.

Bumble CEO and Serena Williams

Star athlete Serena Williams is making her next move as Bumble’s global advisor. The company announced that its new ad campaign featuring the award-winning tennis champion will debut during this year’s Super Bowl.

The theme of the campaign is in line with Bumble’s female-friendly focus, called “The Ball is in Her Court.” It will feature Williams making the first move in every aspect of life: dating, friendship, and business, according to the release, according to AdWeek.

Partnering with a high-profile, empowered female is a consistent reflection of the Bumble brand. In its press release, Bumble stated that Williams’ role will include enforcing Bumble’s “mission to end misogyny and empower women around the world.”