s'more Dating App Raises $2.1M - Focus on Personality

S’More, a dating application designed to facilitate the development of more substantial connections, today revealed it has secured $2.1 million in seed financing.

S’More, an abbreviation for “something more,” prioritizes personality over initial impressions by initially displaying blurred photographs—these images become clearer as users engage with one another. The company has recently introduced features such as video conversations (also starting blurred) and unveiled a completely revamped application earlier this month. According to CEO Adam Cohen-Aslatei, this represents a “completely rebuilt product” incorporating new functionalities like real-time conversation starters and the option to boost profile visibility through paid promotion.

Cohen-Aslatei further stated that S’More’s dedication to fostering “anti-superficial relationships” is resonating with users, evidenced by 160,000 downloads within its first year and a growing base of paying subscribers—with a 50% surge in subscriptions following the app’s January update.

Regarding the future of dating in a post-pandemic world, Cohen-Aslatei posited, “I don’t believe we will revert to previous norms.” He referenced a recent S’More user survey revealing that 80% of respondents did not participate in any in-person dates throughout 2020.

“Are you seeking a quick connection on Tinder, or are you interested in engaging in conversation to truly understand someone on S’More?” he inquired. Believing that many individuals will favor the latter, he continued, “How can we make the process of finding someone enjoyable? Multimedia elements, video, audio, and games are all integral to our product development… S’More aims to combine the qualities of Hinge and Nextdoor.” (It appears there is a “significant number” of single individuals on Nextdoor actively seeking relationships.)

This latest round of funding was provided by a diverse group of investors, including Benson Oak Ventures, Workplay Ventures (led by Mark Pincus), Gaingels VC, Loud Capital/Pride Fund, SideCar Angels, AppLovin Chairman Rafael Vivas, Joshua Black of Apollo Management, Plus Grade CEO Ken Harris, Harvard geneticist George Church, former Meet Group CEO John Abbott, former IMAX CEO Brad Weschler, Aaron and Sharon Stern, Justen Stepka/Enterprise Fund, Boston Harbor Angels, Grit Daily CEO Jordan French, Kind.Fund founder Marty Isaac, Craig Mullett and Dating Group.

Cohen-Aslatei shared that the funding has already enabled him to assemble a core team, consisting of chief architect Long Nguyen, head of operations Sneha Ramanchandran, head of product and design Regina Guinto, and senior developer David Lichy.

S’More also announced a production agreement with Elvia Van Es Oliva and Jack Tarantino, producers known for their work on programs such as “90 Day Fiancé.” Cohen-Aslatei explained that the company will collaborate with them to produce “anti-superficial” dating-related content for both digital platforms and television networks.

This partnership expands upon the success of S’More Live, the startup’s celebrity dating show broadcast on Instagram Live, which has already presented 60 episodes.

“We are utilizing this show to strengthen our brand, increase recognition, and subsequently… effectively leverage the viewership to re-engage them with S’More content, resulting in a [very affordable] user acquisition cost,” Cohen-Aslatei stated.