Meme-based dating app Schmooze raises $4 million in round led by Elevation Capital

Schmooze, a meme-based dating app, has raised $4 million in a funding round led by Elevation Capital.

The round also saw participation from angel investors including the founders of Ultrahuman, The Souled Store, Mosaic Wellness and Paytm.

Founded by Vidya Madhavan and Abhinav Anurag, Bengaluru-based Schmooze uses AI to connect people based on their unique sense of humour and interests through memes, aiming to match users with those who resonate with their personalities.


“GenZs are done with swiping on photos. They are looking for something deeper in the people they are interested in dating,” Madhavan told ET in an interaction. “At the same time, another trend I observed is the huge explosion of memes, particularly among GenZs…and even millennials have started communicating through memes,” she added.

The newly raised funds will be used for growth and expansion as well as to enhance its AI engine.

“We've realised that the power of content in unifying people and understanding if they can vibe together is immense and universal. While we began with memes, we’re quickly expanding to other forms of content,” Anurag said.

Schmooze has over one million users and has witnessed over nine billion meme swipes. It competes with global giants such as Bumble, Tinder and Hinge in the market.

The dating app has also expanded its platform with AI-driven features such as Roast AI, which mimics conversations with a stand-up comedian, and Rant AI, a digital diary that responds to users' inputs to ensure that users feel a sense of companionship, even when they're not directly interacting with others.

It last raised around $3 million in 2021.

Commenting on the investment, Amit Aggarwal, principal at Elevation Capital, said, “Schmooze represents a fundamental evolution in the dating app market. It is designed to be the wingman Gen Zs didn't know they needed—powered by cutting-edge AI and fueled by a rich tapestry of memes. It's an experience matching the psyche of today's youth, offering a vibe-check that resonates with their unique cultural language.”

On August 6, ET reported that dating app Juleo raised $2.5 million in a funding round from Livspace founder Ramakant Sharma, Cred founder Kunal Shah, Acko cofounder Ruchi Deepak, and Groww founders Harsh Jain and Lalit Keshre, among others.