The founder of Hinge raised $18M to build a new AI dating service, Overtone

Key Points:

• Justin McLeod, founder of Hinge, announced an $18 million funding round for his new dating company, Overtone, with backing from Match Group, FirstMark Capital, and Pace Capital.
• Overtone is an AI-enabled, voice- and audio-focused service that aims to provide highly curated introductions rather than traditional dating app features like profiles, swiping, or algorithmic feeds.
• McLeod emphasizes a personalized approach, using AI to deeply understand individuals through their voices and stories, making thoughtful matches based on relationship science, rather than automating conversations or relying on superficial metrics.
• The dating industry is shifting as many users feel burnt out by current apps; Overtone and similar startups like Ditto and Date Drop seek to improve matchmaking quality by limiting choices and focusing on meaningful connections.
• Overtone plans to launch later this year in select locations and has added relationship expert Esther Perel to its board, alongside Match CEO Spencer Rascoff and leadership advisor Diana Chapman.