Hinge founder raises $18M for AI dating service Overtone

Hinge's founder announced an $18 million raise for Overtone, a new "voice- and audio-forward" dating service that uses AI to deliver highly curated introductions. Backers include Hinge owner Match Group, alongside FirstMark Capital and Pace Capital. The founder, who left Hinge last year, is positioning Overtone against algorithmic feeds and swiping, saying "it's not a dating app." The pitch taps growing user fatigue, with a 2024 survey finding 78% of dating-app users felt burnt out, using AI to narrow matches rather than outsource conversations.

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