The landscape of social media is undergoing a transformation, driven by a wave of new startups that aim to foster real-world connections. These emerging platforms focus on addressing issues such as loneliness, dating app fatigue, and general dissatisfaction with established social media giants.
Innovators from diverse backgrounds are leading this charge. Some, like the team behind the photo-sharing app Retro, have roots in major tech companies like Instagram. Others, like the creators of the social-mapping app PamPam, are former Google employees. Notably, Gen Z entrepreneurs are also making their mark with apps like Kndrd and Noplace, which emphasize in-person interactions.
Investors are increasingly interested in these ventures. For example, the IRL-social app 222, which connects strangers through shared activities, successfully raised a $2.5 million seed round from firms such as 1517 Fund and General Catalyst in 2024. Maitree Mervana Parekh, a principal at Acrew Capital, noted, “We’re entering this new wave of social where people are trying to revert back to what people really use these platforms for to begin with — which is connection.”
Some venture capital firms are specifically targeting startups that address social connectivity issues. French firm Intuition VC and gaming-focused Patron are among those prioritizing investments in companies tackling loneliness and relationship-building.
Beyond friendship and dating, startups like Gigi, Series, Boardy, Filament, and Goodword are leveraging AI to enhance professional networking and relationships. Goodword CEO Caroline Dell remarked, “When people think about loneliness, they think about friends and family. But we spend most of our waking hours at work as professionals.”
Other startups are exploring innovative funding strategies, such as Diem and Spill, which have involved their users in investment rounds through platforms like Wefunder.
The success of these investments remains to be seen, as some startups are still pre-revenue or experimenting with monetization models like freemium. Marlon Nichols, a founding partner at Mac Venture Capital, emphasized the importance of scalability, stating, “Founders have to be honest with themselves. Some of them aren’t really venture-scale or venture-type investments. We’re looking for the next big thing, the next category leader.”
Business Insider has gathered insights from various social media and dating app founders on their fundraising experiences, including the pitch decks that secured them millions in funding.
Read the pitch decks that helped 14 social-networking and dating startups raise millions of dollars:
Note: Pitch decks are sorted by investment stage and size of round.
Series A
Seed
Pre-Seed
Other
Read about more social networking and dating startups raising millions:
- Airbuds, a social music app, told Business Insider in November that it has raised $10.2 million — including a recent check from Alexis Ohanian’s VC fund.
- Sweatpals, a fitness and wellness social platform, raised $12 million in seed funding.
- Sitch, an AI matchmaking dating app, announced in April that it had raised $2 million in pre-seed funding.
- Amata, another AI matchmaking dating startup, recently launched in the US and disclosed that it raised $6 million in 2023.
- Gigi, an AI social network for making professional connections, announced in September that it raised $3 million from Khosla Ventures.
- Corner, a social mapping app for Gen Z, disclosed in September that it has raised $3.75 million.
