It’s created by women, for women, and is described as “the anti- Tinder”. If co-founder Dawoon Kang’s experience is any indication, Coffee Meets Bagel might just help you find love, app-tually.
It’s created by women, for women, and is described as “the anti- Tinder”. If co-founder Dawoon Kang’s experience is any indication, Coffee Meets Bagel might just help you find love, app-tually.
Would you walk away from US$30 million (nearly S$41 million)? Korean- American Dawoon Kang and her sisters did on reality show Shark Tank, where entrepreneurs compete for investments. The sisters believed their dating app Coffee Meets Bagel, named after the coffee breaks that young professionals look forward to daily, would grow to be worth much more. “We see it growing as big as (online dating service) Match.com,” says Dawoon, whom we met in Singapore this August. And on that latter point, they’re right on the money. Since it arrived here last year, Coffee Meets Bagel – which the sisters launched in 2012 with US$10,000 of their own money and US$7.8 million in raised funds – has made over two million introductions in Singapore. In August 2016, the trio rolled out a Ladies Choice update for the app – which has been described as “the anti-Tinder” for online daters who want love, not hook-ups. While the app has always presented users with “bagels” (potential dates) daily at noon and has an algorithm that prioritises matches with mutual Facebook friends, it now takes into consideration men’s preference for choice and women’s predilection for curation. Consequently, men now receive up to 21 “bagels”, while women are presented with up to six “bagels” – men who have already “liked” them. Here are five reasons to give the app a go...
1. There is no paradox of choice.
With apps such as Tinder, matches remain superficial because you can’t help swiping to see who else is out there. Coffee Meets Bagel caps the number of potential dates each day, so you’re more attentive to each. “[I’m not] jaded and I think it’s because of that pace and each of the dates having been with quality people,” says Dawoon.
2. Compared to other dating services, this app finds you better, stronger matches.
It prioritises people you share mutual Facebook friends with – something women prefer, according to a survey it conducted. Have a type? The app considers your “Liking” patterns and the men you’ve passed over.
3. Dawoon used it and it worked for her!
She met Tim, her boyfriend of over a year, via Coffee Meets Bagel – he’s the second boyfriend she found through the app. Their coupling is a freaky testament to the app’s matchmaking powers – they attended the same university, work in similar industries and share a few mutual friends.
4. There’s a higher chance of face time.
You only have 24 hours to connect with a match and chat rooms close in eight days. This mirrors Dawoon’s belief that “you want to arrange a meetup as soon as you feel comfortable so you don’t lose momentum. Plus, you won’t have time to build up [unrealistic] expectations about the other person.” 5. You can play matchmaker. Even if you don’t hit it off with a match, you can give away your “bagels” to a friend. In fact, Dawoon’s first boyfriend was a “gift” from her sister!
