Bumble Founder’s Tinder Swipe

Whitney Wolfe Herd, then in her early 20s, was instrumental in naming Tinder, the dating app that would go on to become a cultural phenomenon. She had met Tinder’s co-founders—Sean Rad, Chris Gulczynski, and Justin Mateen—while working together on a now-defunct ecommerce startup called Cardify. The chemistry between them was evident, and they decided to collaborate on a dating app, which would eventually be known as Tinder. The app’s unique feature of “swiping right” for approval and “swiping left” for rejection became iconic and embedded itself into modern dating culture. Wolfe Herd became the vice president of marketing.

In 2014, she left the company unexpectedly and filed a lawsuit accusing Mateen of sexual harassment and subjecting her to inappropriate comments. Tinder and Wolfe Herd settled the lawsuit out of court, with her reportedly receiving a settlement of over $1 million plus stock in Tinder.

Instead of taking time to heal and reflect, Wolfe Herd decided to channel her energy into a new venture. She founded Bumble, initially conceptualized as a networking app for women. Russian billionaire and Badoo founder Andrey Andreev, impressed by Wolfe Herd’s passion and determination, advised her to focus on dating, given his success with Badoo, which had over 60 million users worldwide. Andreev’s experience and insight led Wolfe Herd to pivot her idea and create a dating app with a twist.

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Bumble’s key differentiator was its unique matching system, where women were required to initiate contact within 24 hours of matching with a man, or the connection would disappear. This feature aimed to tackle the pervasive issue of inappropriate messages and unsolicited explicit images women often receive on dating apps. By encouraging women to take the lead, Bumble aimed to support a more respectful and considerate environment. This approach resonated with users, and Bumble quickly emerged as Tinder’s top competitor.

Wolfe Herd’s entrepreneurial spirit and social conscience had been evident since her college years. Growing up in Salt Lake City, Utah, in a conservative, religious community, she was disheartened by the traditional dating norms where men were always expected to make the first move. This experience influenced her vision for Bumble. While studying International Studies at Southern Methodist University, she started a bamboo tote bag business called the “Help Us Project” to support areas affected by the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Her venture gained traction when celebrities like Nicole Richie and Rachel Zoe were spotted using her bags. By the time she graduated and moved to Los Angeles, Wolfe Herd was eager to dive into the startup ecosystem and make an impact.