Meme-based dating app Schmooze has successfully raised $4 million in its Series A funding round, led by Elevation Capital. This round also included investments from prominent angel investors, such as the founders of Ultrahuman, The Souled Store, Mosaic Wellness, and Paytm.
Schmooze had previously garnered $3.47 million from Inventus Capital Partners and others, which had bolstered its initial growth. With the new funding, the platform plans to significantly enhance its user acquisition efforts.
Launched in 2021 by Vidya Madhavan and Abhinav Anurag, Schmooze differentiates itself by integrating memes with sophisticated AI technology. This approach allows users to connect through shared humor, personality traits, and interests, bypassing the superficiality often associated with traditional swipe-based dating apps.
The app’s innovative features include Genie, an AI dating coach designed to make the dating experience more engaging and authentic. Schmooze also offers Roast AI, which mimics stand-up comedy interactions, and Rant AI, a digital diary that responds to user inputs, providing a sense of companionship even outside active interactions.
With over 1 million users in India and 900 million meme swipes to date, Schmooze boasts a 3x better ratio of female to male users compared to mainstream dating platforms. The fresh funding is expected to propel the app’s growth and further its mission to combat loneliness and social disconnection among Gen Z users.
