Hinge founder raises $18 million for AI dating startup Overtone

Justin McLeod, who stepped down as Hinge’s CEO last year, has raised $18 million for his new company, Overtone, an AI-enabled service that describes itself as voice- and audio-forward and focused on highly curated introductions. The round includes Match Group — Hinge’s parent company, which also owns Tinder and OkCupid — alongside FirstMark Capital and Pace Capital.

The startup arrives amid documented fatigue with dating apps: a Forbes Health survey conducted in 2024 found that 78% of dating app users felt burnt out. The survey’s 1,000 respondents said they spent about 51 minutes per day on the apps, time that often did not translate into fulfilling connections. McLeod, who said, “Overtone is not a dating app,” is positioning the service as an alternative to platforms that reduce users to profiles, algorithmic feeds, and simultaneous chats with many people at once.

Overtone plans to use AI to curate introductions grounded in relationship science, learning about each person through their own voice rather than through photos or written bios. The service will be available later this year in certain locations, according to the company. Alongside the fundraise, Overtone announced that relationship expert Esther Perel, Match CEO Spencer Rascoff, and leadership advisor Diana Chapman have joined its board. Other new entrants, including Ditto and Date Drop, are also pursuing AI-driven curation as an alternative to traditional swiping in the dating-app market.

Why it matters

Overtone’s launch highlights an industry-wide pivot toward AI-curated, voice-first matchmaking to combat user burnout from traditional algorithmic swiping. The backing of Match Group — parent to some of the category’s biggest incumbents — suggests the shift is being hedged from inside the industry, not just challenged from outside it.