Key Takeaways
- Pay-per-match matchmaking service DateSpot recently acquired ValleyMatch, a matchmaking startup that leverages AI to facilitate connections.
- Both companies aim to make personalized matchmaking services available to all people, regardless of location or economic status.
- DateSpot’s high success rate puts ValleyMatch’s personalized AI technology on the path to success.
DateSpot, the matchmaking service with a groundbreaking pay-per-match business model, just acquired an AI edge.
Its newest acquisition, ValleyMatch, has leveraged AI technology to push the matchmaking service in an even more innovative — and affordable — direction.
The acquisition makes DateSpot’s presence in the dating world that much more formidable, and suggests that singles appreciate the efficiency of a virtual matchmaking database as well as the human insight of traditional matchmaking.
By acquiring ValleyMatch, DateSpot hopes to provide both.
“We’re thrilled to integrate the new AI, welcome ValleyMatch members, and expand our member base to service clients best!” said Carla Swiryn, DateSpot’s Founder and CEO, in a press release. “Our companies believe that finding a truly aligned partner should be easier than what apps offer and that matchmaking can be for anyone.”
With ValleyMatch, DateSpot adds cutting-edge AI technology to its network of 120+ matchmaking companies.
ValleyMatch promises to streamline the matchmaking process with its AI technology that identifies ideal matches for clients while offering fun and personalized features like compatibility matches and customized dating tips.
A Virtual Matchmaking Hub for the Average Consumer
The matchmaking industry pulls in between $1.2 billion and $1.5 billion globally, which indicates how much people are willing to spend to find their soulmate.
But people of all economic backgrounds want to find love, and since 40% of singles who use matchmakers are located in the United States, it was only a matter of time before California-based companies like DateSpot and ValleyMatch joined forces.
“We created ValleyMatch because we saw a gap in the matchmaking market for regular people,” ValleyMatch explained on its website. DateSpot and ValleyMatch are closing this gap by pooling their resources.
It takes dedication and intentionality on the part of the client to make traditional matchmaking work. Swiryn confirmed that DateSpot members can expect the personalized guidance of an in-person matchmaking service along with the relative freedom of a dating app.
“Most people don’t invest the time needed on dating apps or with individual matches to create meaningful connections,” Swiryn said. “We encourage users to stop ‘half apping it’ and choose a more intentional approach.”
Her unique approach must be working: “A success metric I’m proud of is that 87% of our members want a second date with their match,” Swiryn said in the press release.
It helps that DateSpot’s pay-per-match model allows members to balance their romantic goals with their financial needs. Clearly, singles value a matchmaking service that respects their financial boundaries while pushing them out of their romantic comfort zones.
Although both DateSpot and ValleyMatch are relatively new companies — DateSpot was founded in 2019 and ValleyMatch in 2023 — the people behind them bring years of matchmaking experience to the table. Swiryn has been a professional matchmaker for 12 years, and ValleyMatch’s co-founder, Rebecca Nguyen, is herself a certified matchmaker.
“This is a dream scenario,” Nguyen said of the acquisition. “DateSpot was our first choice to take over because of their database size and values. I’m proud of what we’ve built together and excited to continue to lead the industry and help people find love.”
And with its new AI capabilities, DateSpot is on track to becoming one of the most unique love-finders in the online dating/matchmaking space.
