Hinge Founder's New $18 Million AI Matchmaker Raises Seed Funding
Overtone, a new AI-powered matchmaking service founded by Hinge's former CEO Justin McLeod, has secured $18 million in seed funding. The service emphasizes voice and audio features to differentiate itself from traditional dating apps.
Overtone, an AI-enabled matchmaking service founded by Justin McLeod, the former CEO of Hinge, announced it has raised $18 million in seed funding. The investment round includes participation from significant players such as Match Group, FirstMark Capital, and Pace Capital.
The service positions itself as a "voice-and audio-forward matchmaking service, enabled by AI and grounded in relationship science, that provides highly curated introductions." This approach aims to distinguish Overtone from conventional swipe-based dating applications by focusing on meaningful, transparently explained matches.
McLeod, who stepped down from Hinge to pursue this venture, initially developed Overtone as an internal project. The company has stated that its focus is on providing well-vetted introductions rather than offering a typical dating app experience.
Notable figures have joined Overtone's board of directors, including psychotherapist Esther Perel, Match Group CEO Spencer Rascoff, and Signal Institute founder Diana Chapman. The new funding is expected to support the development and expansion of Overtone's platform.