Business of Online Dating

Speakers:

Kim Kaplan

Kim Kaplan is the CEO and founder of Snack, a video-driven dating app where “TikTok meets dating.” Kim launched her career as one of the earliest employees at the dating platform PlentyOfFish (POF), leading product, marketing and revenue initiatives. Her product initiatives ultimately grew Daily Active Users from 1 million to over 4 million and revenue from $10 million to over $100 million. Kim’s role as an instrumental part of the executive team culminated in the successful Match Group acquisition for US $575 million in 2015. Following the acquisition, she continued working with POF as well as various companies inside the Match portfolio, including Tinder and OkCupid. Eventually, Kim shifted to advising for Canadian startups -- that is, until a friend introduced her to TikTok. Pretty quickly, Kim observed that there was an underbelly of dating trying to happen on the app, but it isn’t set up for it. So why not create the TikTok for dating? She set out to fundraise for Snack in September 2020 and announced a $3.5M pre-seed round in February 2021, officially launching on iOS. To date, Snack has raised over $5M.

Tina Wilson, CEO of Wingman

London born Tina Wilson is a Digital Entrepreneur, Businesswoman and Dating Evangelist. She is the Founder and CEO of Wingman, the world’s fastest growing matchmaking app that lets your friends, family, and co-workers make introductions, chaperone conversations, and ultimately set you up for the most successful date of your life! For over a decade, Tina was an international interior designer, flying between New York and London; when suddenly the idea for Wingman made her completely change career direction, and invest all of her savings into getting her new business venture off the ground. Based in the USA, Tina successfully raised over seven-figures from a blue-chip venture firm, and Wingman was born and launched.  Now entering its third year, Wingman (has taken the US by storm with numerous appearances on the Daily Mail, The Verge, Mashable, Forbes) and has recently launched in the UK. 100,000s of users have seen their love life changed (for the better) thanks to the Wingman app, and of course their trusty Wingmen and Wingwomen who populate the app.

Catherine Connelly, SVP, Marketing at The Meet Group

Catherine is co-founder and SVP, Marketing at The Meet Group. The Meet Group owns and operates the most engaging dating communities in the world, including MeetMe, Skout, Tagged, and GROWLr. Serving millions of daters daily, each month, TMG’s livestreaming solutions entice its community to spend 1 billion minutes in video. TMG’s network size, technology, and leading moderation and talent teams enable it to partner for and acquire new audiences, including through video platform-as-service products. The Meet Group, Inc. is a subsidiary of ParshipMeet Group, a diversified international market leader in online dating, which also owns and operates leading matchmaking brands eharmony, Parship, and ElitePartner.

The Meet Group traces its roots back to when Catherine co-founded myYearbook with her brother Dave in 2005. The Meet Group sold for $500 million in September 2020 and is now part of ParshipMeet Group. Catherine heads marketing at The Meet Group and drives new features that deliver on its mission -- to meet the universal need for human connection. Catherine holds an undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.