Schmooze Is the New Dating App Using Memes To Match People

For those looking to refresh their dating game, Schmooze could be your answer. Schmooze is an app based on the belief that a shared sense of humor can unite people everywhere.

The app's founder, Vidya Madhavan, explains that a "humor algorithm" is used to match individuals based on their taste in memes. After noticing a trend in the way Gen Z uses dating apps, she refocused her idea onto a platform in which memes play a central role. The beta test began in August 2020, with 200 Stanford students trialing the new concept. As of right now, the app has been downloaded more than 10,000 times in the U.S., with users able to swipe left and right on more than 5,000 memes.

Since its debut, the app has made over 90,000 matches, but only a small percentage of these have actually taken the next step and moved onto the direct messaging function. Despite fierce competition in the tech industry, Schmooze is definitely not your standard dating app, gaining popularity in recent months as the U.S. emerges from state-imposed coronavirus lockdowns. Ulu Ventures invested $270,000 USD into the company in its latest seed round, so it's possible that new developments could be on the way soon.

If you've been nervous about getting back to pre-pandemic life, read our piece about post-COVID social anxiety here.

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