In a world where online dating has become the norm, it can be challenging to find someone who shares your sense of humor and interests. This is where Schmooze, a meme-based dating app, comes in. Launched in March 2021 by Vidya Madhavan and Abhinav Anurag, Schmooze uses artificial intelligence to match users with like-minded individuals who want to make each other laugh.
How it Works
Using the app is quite straightforward. Users swipe right to like a meme, left to dislike, and up to love a meme from a curated selection. The algorithm takes into account what types of humor both you and your potential match enjoy or reject. Match suggestions will pop on the screen based on meme choices, and the user can select either ‘Snooze’ or ‘Schmooze.’ The app also provides icebreakers to help users out before a match gets removed.
Introducing Schmooze Flirts
Today, Schmooze launched a new feature called Schmooze Flirts, which allows users to share memes with their matches. Schmooze Flirts handpicks memes from the app’s algorithm that a match would likely laugh at and encourages a user to send a meme to their match to spark a conversation. The user has 48 hours to message the other person, or the chat will automatically disappear.
Upcoming Features
Over the next two months, Schmooze plans to create a user-content platform that allows users to upload their own memes. This feature is currently not available on the app due to quality and appropriateness control concerns. Additionally, Schmooze Ayooo, a place on the app for people to post funny pictures from their own camera roll, will be introduced soon.
Setting Up Your Profile
When setting up your profile, you must answer what your #MemeVibe is by selecting options such as dark humor, puns, wholesome, relatable, NSFW, gaming, anime, among other topics and categories. You then add profile photos, a bio, your four favorite music artists, memes you like, and your TV show binge list.
Safety Precautions
While there are systems in place to catch fake profiles, extensive background checks aren’t done to eliminate people with a history of crime or violence. The target audience for Schmooze is Gen Z (17+), so users should always prioritize safety, especially when it comes to dating online.
History and Growth
Schmooze was beta-tested at Stanford University before launching in March 2021. Today, the app has grown to over 50,000 users with more than 15 million memes swiped and 750,000+ matches made. A few months ago, the company raised $3.2 million in seed funding, led by Inventus Capital and Silicon Valley Quad, with participation from Lightspeed and Graph Ventures.
Availability
Schmooze is available on both App Store and Google Play Store, but ‘Schmooze Flirts’ and the upcoming features are only available for iOS users. There will be a delay of two to three weeks until the features are available on Android devices.
Conclusion
Meme-based dating is here, and Schmooze is leading the way. With its unique approach to matching users based on their sense of humor, it’s no wonder that the app has gained so much popularity in such a short time. Whether you’re looking for someone who shares your love for dark humor or wholesome memes, Schmooze is definitely worth checking out.
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