Allen Wang and Eric Liu, two UC Berkeley dropouts, think they can help college students find love using AI.
Their dating startup, Ditto, leverages AI to match people based on the data users input into the service. It then plans the date for them.
“We’re bringing people back to in-real-life interactions,” Wang, 23, told Business Insider.
After users make a profile, they directly message Ditto’s AI chatbot via text— no app required — about their type and dating preferences. On Wednesdays, users get a text about a potential match. After each date, Ditto follows up for feedback and uses that information as additional data for future matches.
“People are tired of being trapped behind the apps,” Wang said.
Ditto will announce on Tuesday that it has raised $9.2 million in seed funding, led by venture capital firm Peak XV, with participation from firms like Alumni Ventures, Gradient, and Scribble Ventures.
The seed funding will primarily be spent on hiring talent across AI and growth, Wang said, as well as toward Ditto’s marketing. The company has 10 staffers and has raised a total of $9.5 million to date. Ditto launched its product in early 2025.
Ditto isn’t the only AI dating app gaining momentum right now.
Other startups like Sitch, Known, and Amata have raised millions for similar products that pitch AI-powered matchmaking as the new alternative to swiping through profiles. Dating app mainstays like Tinder and Bumble, meanwhile, are also testing the AI waters to reignite user interest.
Ditto’s AI tries to determine whether two people would be a good match by using profile details, such as users’ hobbies or interests, to simulate a date, Wang said.
“Would you guys have a good conversation? Do you guys have matched humor level? Do you guys have similar vibes and values?” Wang said.
Finding love as a college student
The dating startup world has a history of targeting college students as early users. For instance, Tinder’s early success came in part from its marketing on college campuses.
“College kids are very adaptive to new technology,” Wang said.
The app now has about 42,000 people signed up across several college campuses in California. With its recent funding, Ditto plans to expand to more college campuses.
One tactic that helps get college-aged users on board: parties.
Ditto plans to host several yacht parties across the US, beginning with a Valentine’s Day party in Los Angeles (it hosted its first yacht party this summer). At the parties, 100 college students will sign up for Ditto and then get paired into 50 couples.
For now, Ditto is free.
“We are prioritizing growth over monetization,” Wang said, adding that the startup is interviewing users about what price they’d be willing to pay for dates from the service.
Read the 12-page pitch deck Ditto used to raise $9.2 million:
Note: Some details have been redacted.
Read the full article here
