Key Takeaways

The dating app market is crowded with apps claiming to be “the next” Tinder. But is that really what the dating industry needs — or even wants? 

Nicky Wake, a UK-based entrepreneur with 20+ years in the dating and event planning industries, doesn’t think so. “I believe the future of dating isn’t in trying to compete with giants like Bumble or Hinge,” she told Business Matters. 

Instead, she’s banking that niche communities will shape the dating industry. She’s seen this approach succeed with her own ventures, and now she wants to share her expertise with up-and-coming entrepreneurs. 

Wake’s new incubator program, operated through her dating platform M12 Industries, aims to give young founders a chance to bring their niche dating app ideas to life. 

“[The future is] in creating niche apps that serve defined communities — spaces where people can connect based on shared experiences, lifestyles and values,” Wake said. With her guidance, dating pros with niche ambitions can make a dent in the uber-competitive dating market. 

The Incubator Guides Founders From Concept to Launch

An overcrowded market means creators with innovative ideas can’t always find the funding or tech support to bring their ideas to life, even if they have a dedicated audience. This is where Wake’s incubator program comes in. 

The program’s goal is to take an innovative idea from concept to creation within three months, according to Business Matters. It would give founders a “clear, cost-effective pathway” to “enter a fast-growing market with expert guidance and proven technology,” Wake said. 

The program will guide the creator through the product’s development, including through audience strategy, app development, marketing, and of course, the ever-important fundraising process. 

“Instead of starting from scratch with a developer, they gain access to a tried-and-tested model, plus the benefit of my lived experience in building three successful dating tech start-ups,” Wake explained. Founders can expect guidance from Wake and the incubator program even post-launch.

“This is a simple, cost-effective solution for budding entrepreneurs or community leaders who want to monetise their audiences,” she said.

Her Focus on Niche Dating Stems from Real-Life Success

Wake’s place in the dating industry, as well as her incubator program, was born from struggle. 

A personal loss followed by an alcohol addiction gave Wake a new lease on life and love, one that continuously strengthens what she calls her “business philosophy”: “Identifying underserved communities and creating solutions that combine empathy with innovation,” she said on her website. 

In fact, the dating platforms that made the biggest splashes in the industry this year weren’t necessarily the Tinders, Bumbles, and Hinges of the world. 

The dating safety app Tea skyrocketed to the top of the App Store’s downloads chart this past summer because it created a community based on modern daters’ top priorities: safety and authenticity.

Another app to achieve rare revenue boosts in 2025? Feeld, which markets itself to “curious” daters in the ENM and LGBTQ+ communities. A 26% revenue increase in 2024 signals growing interest in this niche dating space. 

Sure, Tea is now banned from the App Store due to a massive data leak, but the app’s lesson for success (along with Feeld’s) remains: Modern daters respond to platforms that listen to their needs and adapt for a new dating future, not for one that already exists. 

Wake’s Philosophy is Rooted in Empathy and Innovation

Wake’s expertise is in creating the same niche communities currently gaining in popularity and in profitability. 

Soberlove, Chapter 2 Dating and Windows Fire all exist under Wake’s newly acquired dating platform M14 Industries. 

Wake’s business philosophy also extends to the founders chosen to work with the incubator program. “Launching a dating app shouldn’t be out of reach,” Wake said, referring to the numerous financial, technical, and social obstacles that often prevent creators from making their ideas a reality. 

“This incubator makes it achievable, accessible and genuinely exciting — opening the door to a new wave of niche dating apps that help people connect in more meaningful ways,” she added. 

By giving new founders a chance to thrive at M14 Industries, Wake isn’t only investing in her own company, but in the future of the dating industry — a bold move, given the industry’s unpredictability in recent years. 

But Wake sees this unpredictability as an opportunity to explore and experiment with new ideas, and perhaps even address the needs of otherwise overlooked niches. Founders with similar goals will undoubtedly find inspiration from Wake’s incubator program.