Zoosk – Wikipedia
Zoosk, dustryConsumer servicesFoundedFremont, California, U. S. (2007)FounderAlex MehrShayan ZadehBrad HenricksonJohn SmartHeadquartersBerlin, GermanyArea servedWorldwideServicesOnline dating serviceRevenue US$178. 23 million (2013)Net income −US$2. 62 million (2013)Number of employees174 (April 2014)[1]
Zoosk is an online dating service available in 25 languages and in more than 80 countries. [2] The founders of the company are Shayan Zadeh and Alex Mehr, who ran the company until December 2014. [3] After struggles that year, Kelly Steckelberg became the company’s new CEO. [4] In July 2019, Zoosk became part of Spark Networks SE.
History[edit]
Zoosk launched in December 2007. Its co-founders, Shayan Zadeh and Alex Mehr, were the company’s original CEOs. They are both Iranian immigrants who migrated to US to continue their education. [5][6] Zadeh and Mehr met as undergraduates at Sharif University of Technology in Iran and travelled to the US together to attend graduate school at the University of Maryland. [7] Zadeh worked at Microsoft after graduating with a master’s degree from University of Maryland in computer science, which is part of the University of Maryland College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences. Mehr earned his master’s degree and PhD and later worked for NASA. Mehr attended business school at the University of California at Berkeley, but he dropped out to work on Zoosk. [8]
In April 2014, Zoosk filed S-1 paperwork for an initial public offering as it sought to raise $100 million in capital. [9] In the S-1, the company reported 2013 revenues of $178. 2 million, a 63% increase over the previous year, and that it had cut losses 87% to $2. 6 million. [9] It has 27 million members, [3] of which 650, 000 were paying subscribers, and its membership was growing 44% year-over-year. [9][10] Zoosk had reached the position of no. 1 grossing dating app and a top 25 grossing app on the Apple iOS App Store. [10]
Despite $200 million in revenue collected in 2014, as well as a profit the previous year, Zoosk lost money in 2014. This is due to the company overspending on expansion and over-hiring. The company was also operating on the start-up principle that profits do not matter. With these problems at the company, Zoosk canceled its IPO in December. In January 2015, they laid off 15% of their staff. To improve revenue, the company decided in November 2014 to require a paid membership to send messages. [4]
On March 21, 2019, Spark Networks SE (a global dating company with a portfolio of dating brands) announced a definitive deal to acquire Zoosk. [11] The deal was finalized on July 1, 2019, forming North America’s second-largest dating company in revenues. [12]
Product[edit]
Zoosk has an iOS and Android app and a desktop chat client. Zoosk uses big data and algorithmic recommendations technology to help users find partners. [10] Its “proprietary Behavioral Matchmaking engine” learns from users’ clicks, messaging, and other actions to help produce more accurate matches. [10] The idea is that the more data Zoosk obtains from its users, the better its recommendations can be. [10]
In August 2014, Zoosk added its Photo Verification service, designed to prevent users from “posting photos of themselves when they were 10 years younger or 20 pounds lighter”. [13] To verify a photo, users are asked to take a video selfie in order to record their appearance from multiple angles. Zoosk moderators then determine if the user’s profile photo and video match. When they do, the user receives a green check next to his or her photos. [13] The feature was released first to the Zoosk iOS app, followed by Android. [14]
In January 2018, Zoosk launched Insignia, a way for U. military service members to verify their status. [15] The feature is meant to reduce instances of stolen valor, particularly in connection to romance scams. [16]
Zoosk uses gamification and popularity rankings to encourage participation. [17]
Funding[edit]
Zoosk’s investors include Bessemer Venture Partners, ATA Ventures and Canaan Partners. [6] The company has raised more than $60 million in equity. [10]
Pricing model[edit]
Until November 2014, Zoosk charged no fee to start using the app and to send one message to another person. Since November 2014, contact and interaction beyond the first message per person requires a premium (i. e., paid) subscription. [4][18]
Awards and recognition[edit]
In 2014, Zoosk was named to the Inc. magazine’s Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America, ranking no. 1660. [19]
In 2014, the San Francisco Business Times also named Shayan Zadeh to its 40 Under 40 list of Bay Area entrepreneurs. [20]
The Wall Street Journal ranked Zoosk no. 29 on its The Next Big Thing 2011 – The Top 50 Venture-Funded Companies list, up from the No. 42 spot the previous year. [5][6]
‘s 2011 Reader’s Choice Awards named Zoosk’s iPhone app a finalist in its Best Dating App competition. [21]
According to AppAppeal, in August 2012 Zoosk was the fifth most popular dating app in the world and the third in the U. [22] In 2012, the company also won an Effie Award for its advertising campaign “Online Dating, Your Way”. [23][24]
See also[edit]
Comparison of online dating services
References[edit]
^ “Best Places to Work 2014”. Website. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
^ “What is Zoosk? “. Zoosk. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
^ a b “Form S-1”. Form S-1 registration statement. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
^ a b c Roberts, Daniel (March 25, 2015). “Meet the woman tasked with saving Zoosk”. Fortune. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
^ a b “The Next Big Thing 2011 – The Top 50 Venture-Funded Companies” The Wall Street Journal Accessed September 6, 2012
^ a b c Kincaid, Jason “Zoosk Lands Another $30 Million for Social Dating” The Washington Post Accessed September 6, 2012
^ “Online Dating Website Zoosk Files for IPO of Up To $100M”. Fox Business Network. 2014. Retrieved May 11, 2014.
^ “Shayan Zadeh & Alex Mehr Interview” Vimeo Accessed September 6, 2012
^ a b c Bercovici, Jeff (16 April 2014). “Zoosk Files For IPO; Here’s What You Need To Know”. Forbes. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
^ a b c d e f Lawler, Ryan (16 April 2014). “Online Dating Site Zoosk Files For $100M IPO, With $178M in Revenues And A$2. 6M Net Loss in 2013”. TechCrunch. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
^ “Spark Networks SE Enters Definitive Agreement to Acquire Zoosk, Inc., Creating the Second Largest Dating Company in North America”.. 2019-03-21. Retrieved 2019-07-01.
^ “Spark Networks SE Closes Zoosk, Inc. Acquisition”. Retrieved 2019-07-01.
^ a b Lapowsky, Issie (21 August 2014). “This Dating Site Is Teaching the Internet an Important Lesson About Anonymity”. Wired. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
^ Moscaritolo, Angela (21 August 2014). “Avoid Getting Catfished With Zoosk Photo Verification”. PC Magazine. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
^ “Introducing Zoosk Insignia, U. Service Member Verification to Fight Romance Scams”. The Date Mix. 2018-01-25. Retrieved 2019-03-14.
^ “How a Billion-Dollar Internet Scam Is Breaking Hearts and Bank Accounts”. HuffPost. 2017-07-20. Retrieved 2019-03-14.
^ Staff (2012-04-27). “Zoosk Utilizes Gamification to Improve Online Dating”. Gamification Co. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
^ “Do I Have To Pay? : Zoosk Help”. 2011-01-11. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
^ “Inc. 5000 2014”. Inc. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
^ Staff. “Shayan Zadeh: CEO and co-founder, Zoosk”. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
^ “Best Dating App Readers’ Choice Award 2011 Finalists”. Retrieved September 9, 2012
^ “The Most Popular Dating App Per Country” AppAppeal Accessed September 10, 2012
^ “Effie:Zoosk” Archived August 26, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Effie Worldwide Accessed September 9, 2012
^ “Effie Awards” Advertising Educational Foundation Accessed September 10, 2012
External links[edit]
Official website
19 Best Dating Sites in Germany [2021 English Guide]
If you did not move to Germany to reunite with your loved one, we have great news for you. According to a representative survey, every third German uses an online dating service. Those are great news for all the single expats out there. To fast-track your dating success in Germany, we reviewed the 19 best dating sites in Germany for you.
We focus on the best dating sites for serious relationships, the best dating apps, the best dating for gays and lesbians, and the best free dating sites in Germany.
Related Guide: Dating in Germany – Expat Guide
As per Statista, paid dating services are the most popular amongst Germans, followed by freemium dating apps.
What is the best dating site for serious relationships in Germany? What is the Best Dating App in Germany? What are the Best LGBTQ+ Dating sites and apps in Germany? What is the Best Free Dating Site in Germany? Conclusion
What is the best dating site for serious relationships in Germany?
For those looking for a serious long term relationship, quality dating is essential. Germans are willing to pay quite some money to find love. All sites listed below are only available in German.
Here are our picks for the best dating site for serious relationships in Germany.
1. ElitePartner
ElitePartner is a leading dating site in Germany for serious relationships and we know several couples who have met through ElitePartner. They check every profile and only accept sign-ups that are interested in serious long term relationships. They review every profile manually. ElitePartner focuses on academic singles; about 70% of its 3, 8 million members have an academic degree. The personality test of ElitePartner takes around 20 minutes, and after a successful sign-up, you will already get matching suggestions. ElitePartner has 47% male and 53% female members.
ElitaPartner focuses on quality on every level; they offer Single Coaching, Flirt Seminars, and discounted photo-shootings to increase your matching potential. However, the website and app are only available in German.
ElitePartner offers three different Premium models:
2. Parship
Parship is the most popular dating website in Germany, thanks to its aggressive marketing. They promise that every 11 minutes, a single is falling in love via Parship. Their focus is also long-term serious relationships. Parship targets educated and professional Singles. Each year they have 1, 8 million new sign-ups with 3 million contact requests each week. The website and app are only available in German. Here are some more stats about Parship:
The sign-up process takes about 30 minutes and includes a personality test with 80 questions. Parship avoids fake profiles with its ID-check. You cannot view any pictures with the free basic version.
Parship offers three different Premium models:
3. LoveScout24
Source: LoveScout24
LoveScout24 is another big dating site in Germany, with 6 million members. Their focus lies on flirts as well as on long-term relationships. Next to their website and app, they also offer Single Events. The website and member profiles are of high quality; however, you have to actively start your profile search. There is no auto-suggest. The website and app for Germany are only available in German.
Love Scout24 also has 200. 000 gay members and a different portal, for discrete erotic casual dating.
LoveScout24 offers various pricing models, depending on age and duration. Unlike the previous websites, membership starts already with one month.
LoveScout24 price example for 18-29 year olds:
4. eDarling
eDarling is a favorite dating website in Germany. eDarling focuses on scientifically designed matching for long-term relationships. Anyone is welcome at eDarling as it doesn’t focus on a specific customer type. It has 2, 6 million members with an equal ratio of men (48%) and women (52%) in Germany.
All profiles get checked manually, which increases the quality of contacts and, therefore, chances to find serious relationships.
To create your profile and take the personality test, you should prepare around 40 minutes. With the free version, your usage is limited, and you only get the full potential with the Premium version, which offers great price-value and a free app.
eDarling has three different Premium models:
5. C-Date
C-Date is another big dating site in Germany, with 3. 7 million members in Germany and 35 million members worldwide. Their focus lies on casual dating, open relationships, and affairs. Next to their website, C-Date is also available via their app. Anyone is welcome at C-Date and it offers a very active community. The application process happens via a responsive chat rather than a form and profiles get checked and pictures manually validated.
The unique feature of C-Date is that the premium version is free for women who are looking for men. Women looking for women or couples, however, have to pay, while men pay the highest premium.
C-Date pricing for men example:
C-Date pricing for women looking for women or couples example:
6. NextLove
NextLove is a European dating site for single and divorced parents with more than 5 million users. It is also available via app and in English ( ). The sign-up is quick and free, and you need to verify your profile with an SMS and one other method. NextLove also monitors new sign-ups to only have real users.
NextLove offers a premium and premium Plus model, giving you more possibilities to interacts with other users.
What is the Best Dating App in Germany?
Compared to the mentioned German online dating sites above, dating apps take a lot less effort to sign up. There is no personality test and scientific matching algorithm. Dating apps tend to aim more for casual dating. However, that does not imply immediate one-night stands, as a survey from SimpleTexting uncovered.
Dating Apps have two significant advantages over dating sites. They are all available in English, so they are ideal for expats in Germany. And they all operate on a freemium business model. The primary functions with which you can start dating are free; however, all apps also offer premium features via in-app purchases.
Here are our top picks for the best dating app in Germany.
1. Tinder
Tinder needs no introduction, as it is the largest international dating app with 66 million monthly active users in 190 countries. And yes, Tinder works in Germany as well.
Be ready to upload your photos and start swiping left or right and find out whether you got a match from a future date. Once you get a match, you can begin writing direct messages. Tinder offers in-app purchases for premium features.
2. Lovoo
Lovoo is a direct Tinder competitor and works similarly. The main difference is that you can contact someone directly, without having to match first. You can browse profiles incognito with Lovoo’s ghost mode. Lovoo also offers a live video chat option.
Lovoo was founded in Dresden, Germany, and has 28 million users worldwide. With four stars from 43k reviews in the iOS App Store, Lovoo has the best review ratio from all listed dating apps in this article.
As you can see in the graphic below, Tinder and Badoo are fighting for the reign of being the most popular dating app in Europe. Lovoo, however, is the most popular and best dating app in Germany.
3. Badoo
Badoo is another swiping contender and functions similar to Tinder. Badoo’s unique feature is that it shows you users who are near you and share similar interests. While swiping through the users, it also shows you whether you have met a user in real life and gives you an idea of the time and approximate location.
4. OkCupid
OkCupid separates itself from the swiping apps by pushing a story feature that goes beyond just pictures. You can write messages at any time; however, women can only view a man’s first message if she has liked his profile beforehand. OkCupid is popular among LGBT+ Singles as well.
5. Once
Once is a Swiss dating app, marketing itself as an app for those looking for a more serious relationship. As such, you can not swipe through unlimited pictures per day, but instead, you get one match sent to you every day at noon. Each person has 24 hours to like the match, should you both ‘like’ it, you can start to exchange messages.
6. Bumble
Bumble is a popular swiping app that attracts users with more serious intentions. Bumble empowers women to make the first step in terms of messaging. After she has received a match, she has 24h to send that first message. Men cannot send the first message and, in return, also only have 24h to reply to the first message. Otherwise, the match will expire.
7. Happn
Happn is a French dating app with a twist to it. The app only shows you, users, you have crossed paths with the same day, giving it an extra hint of excitement.
You can set the maximum distance (up to 90 km) for your match feed to show anyone in that area. Happn shows you how many times you have crossed paths and the place and time of your last encounter. If a user is in your set proximity, while you are online, the profile will show ‘NOW’, without offering you the exact location for privacy reasons.
8. Candidate
Candidate is a unique gamified dating app founded in Austria. Their focus lies on personality rather than looks. You first have to answer questions other users send you. In return, you also pose your questions. If two users ‘like’ each other’s answers, you form a match and see each other’s pictures. Each question can have up to 300 characters and can be answered by five other users. You rate each answer and choose your top 3. These three then answer another question; you get to choose your top 2 for the final question out of their responses.
What are the Best LGBTQ+ Dating sites and apps in Germany?
Parship and LoveScout24 also offer gay versions, and OkCupid is quite popular among the gay and lesbian community. There are, of course, dating sites and apps that exclusively focus on LGBTQ+ singles. Here are our top picks for the best dating app for gay and lesbian singles in Germany.
1. PlanetRomeo
PlanetRomeo claims to have the world’s biggest community of gay, bi, and trans men. Whether you are looking for a hook-up or a serious relationship, Planet Romeo addresses both.
2. Grindr
Grindr is a direct competitor to PlanetRomeo and, in exchange, claims to have grown the largest social networking app for gay, bi, and trans people. Grindr is almost exclusively popular among men and known for its fast hook-ups.
3. Lesarion
Lesarion is Germany’s biggest lesbian dating website and app. The design is still stuck in the last decade, but it claims to have the largest lesbian community in Germany. A big plus compared to other German dating websites is that Lesarion is also available in English. Next to the dating function, it also has a lively forum.
4. Zoe
Zoe is a global lesbian dating app with more than 3, 9 million users. Compared to Lesarion, Zoe has a modern design and a better review ratio in the iOS App Store. At Zoe, you also swipe for a pass or a match.
What is the Best Free Dating Site in Germany?
Here is our pick for the best free dating site in Germany without a credit card.
1. Finya
Finya is a 100% free German dating site, as it is financing through ads. You have the option to fill in a personality test after sign-up to get more compatible matches. Finya has over one million users and has won multiple awards. However, Finya is only available in German.
Conclusion
With this extensive list of the best online dating sites in Germany, you are all equipped to choose the type of online dating that fits you most.
To make sure you always have the best reception and never run out of data on your phone, we have written a guide for Germany’s best mobile network for you.
We wish you lots of fun and success! ❤️
Zoosk, Inc. Corporate Profile | Brands, Media Spend, Headquarters …
Zoosk, Inc. Corporate Profile | Brands, Media Spend, Headquarters, Addresses and Phone Numbers – Winmo
Back to All StatesZoosk is an online dating community, providing millions of singles in more than 70 countries and in more than 25 languages, with a safe and fun online dating experience through its website, social networking applications, mobile services, and downloadable desktop application. Zoosk is based in San Francisco, CA and backed by Canaan Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners, and ATA Ventures.
Main Telephone
(415) 362-1000
Primary Address989 Market Street
San Francisco,
CA
94103
USA
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How Zoosk’s IPO should lead to TV, mobile, display, social, search revenue opps
Brand: Zoosk, online dating site hosting more than 26 million members
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Frequently Asked Questions about zoosk germany
Is Zoosk available in Germany?
Zoosk is an online dating service available in 25 languages and in more than 80 countries….Zoosk.IndustryConsumer servicesHeadquartersBerlin , GermanyArea servedWorldwideServicesOnline dating serviceRevenueUS$178.23 million (2013)6 more rows
What is the best dating app in Germany?
Here are our top picks for the best dating app in Germany.Tinder. Source: Tinder. … Lovoo. Source: Lovoo. … Badoo. Source: Badoo. … OkCupid. Source: OkCupid. … Once. Source: Once. … Bumble. Source: Bumble. … Happn. Source: Happn. … Candidate. Source: Candidate.
Where is Zoosk located?
Zoosk is based in San Francisco, CA and backed by Canaan Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners, and ATA Ventures.