Hinge: From normie to unique

Happy Valentine’s Day! In this special edition of our newsletter, we’re diving into the story of Hinge—a dating app that has redefined modern romance by focusing on meaningful connections. From its humble beginnings to becoming the app “designed to be deleted,” Hinge has helped countless couples find their imperfectly perfect love stories.

Hinge's story began in 2011 when Justin McLeod, a recovering alcoholic and MBA student at Harvard Business School(HBS), sought to create a dating platform that would help him move past heartbreak. While McLeod was attending HBS, there was an end of the year dance where his class wanted to set up a matchmaking platform to be able to find dates to the dance. While talking to the class president, McLeod learned that they were planning to scrap the idea due to logistical complexity, however, this didn’t stop McLeod. With the help of one of his classmates, Frances Haugen, he created a platform that used facebook profiles to help identify matches by having people list people they were interested in and if two people listed each other, they would be notified of a match. This platform was launched under the name "Secret Agent Cupid".

Although there was no great success that came out of Secret Agent Cupid, McLeod became fascinated by this concept of online dating and was convinced that this would be the future of dating. In 2013, McLeod poured his last $25,000 into a massive launch party for Hinge in Washington D.C, while their competitors across the country at Tinder released their apps a few months earlier in Los Angeles. McLeod claimed that after their initial launch party, the next day they made the most matches they would for the next couple years. Click below to hear it from McLeod himself (if the timestamp does not work click here).

Hinge's turning point came in 2016 when McLeod decided to rebuild the app from scratch, pivoting away from gamified engagement metrics to prioritize meaningful connections. This shift positioned Hinge as the "relationship app," appealing to users disillusioned with hookup culture. The app introduced features like prompts for personality-driven profiles and tools like "Most Compatible" to enhance matchmaking. Match Group began investing in Hinge in 2017 and fully acquired it by 2019, providing resources that fueled its growth. By focusing on its mission to create real connections, Hinge's revenue soared from $8 million in 2018 to $284 million by 2022, solidifying its place as a leading dating app for serious relationships.

The Hinge success story offers valuable insights for students looking to enter the world of tech startups:

Don’t reinvent the wheel, just make it your own: I’m sure everyone has heard the phrase “Don’t reinvent the wheel" time and time again. But, what does it mean? While it is important to not copy the exact blueprint of winning products, there are always ways to make that blueprint your own. For Hinge, they ditched Tinder’s wildly successful blueprint of swipe matchmaking to make their dating app more personable and authentic using custom prompts. For you, it could be something wildly different, but that’s what it’s all about. Be disruptive, be different, be innovative.

Listen to what the people are saying: When you’re building in a space with big competitors, anything can become a chip on your shoulder. When you are constantly listening to what users and people are saying, you might just find your next niche. For Hinge, they were able to notice that Tinder left some users with a toxic hookup culture experience of dating due to the simplicity of the app. Realizing this, the founders of Hinge decided to pivot towards these disappointed users and created a more personable approach to dating. Hinge even used the catch phrase of the dating app that’s “Designed to be Deleted” when marketing their new approach to online dating. Ultimately, when you’re working in a cutthroat industry, constantly listen, ideate, and adjust.

Don’t forget your vision: It may seem simple, but yet so many founders forget their vision. For founders, there’s constant noise pulling you in so many directions, but it is paramount to keep in line on your vision. Even the great Steve Jobs said that in every one of his meetings there would be one person who’s only job was to make sure that the conversations stayed in line of Apple’s vision and goals. When getting lost in the startup craze, make sure everything you do is catered towards enhancing and moving towards your vision. For Hinge, it was to create genuine relationships, not just a quick hit of dopamine. They’re so committed to their mission that their motto wants their app to be deleted. As a founder, you must have this same conviction in your vision and stay true to it, and one day that vision will become reality. Watch the video below to hear Steve Jobs talk more about focus.

Hey! Thanks for tuning in this Friday, and here is part 4 of our startup spotlight segment. This week’s spotlight is…. Avride!

In the bustling world of food delivery, Texas-based startup Avride is carving out its niche with a fleet of autonomous delivery robots that promise to redefine convenience. Founded in 2017 as a spinout from Russian tech giant Yandex, Avride has rapidly evolved into a leader in autonomous technology, completing over 200,000 deliveries across five countries. Now independent, the company is making waves in the U.S. with recent partnerships with Grubhub and Uber Eats, deploying its robots on college campuses and urban streets alike.

Avride’s robots are more than just a novelty—they’re a practical solution to labor shortages, rising delivery costs, and environmental concerns. With advanced sensors, LIDAR technology, and customizable features like LED panels, these six-wheeled bots are designed to navigate sidewalks and crosswalks safely while delivering everything from snacks to full meals. Their latest rollout at Ohio State University has been met with enthusiasm, and the company is expanding its reach to cities like Jersey City. As CEO Dmitry Polishchuk aptly puts it, “Campuses and urban areas are ideal for automation, and we’re thrilled to bring convenience and innovation to these communities.” With its cutting-edge technology and strategic partnerships, Avride is well on its way to becoming a major player in the autonomous delivery space.

Thanks for tuning in this week! We appreciate your curiosity and engagement, and we’ll see you again on Friday with more insights on the latest in tech and innovation.