Hinge: CEO Justin McLeod to Launch AI Dating Startup Overtone, Backed by Match Group
Justin McLeod, founder and CEO of Hinge, is stepping down to launch an AI-driven dating product called Overtone, the company announced. Match Group — the parent company behind Hinge, OkCupid and Tinder — is backing Overtone with pre-seed financing and plans to take a “substantial ownership position,” according to a press release cited by American Bazaar Online.
Overtone began as an incubated project inside Hinge. McLeod and a dedicated team spent roughly a year developing the idea into what the company describes as “an early-stage dating service focused on using AI and voice tools to help people connect in a more thoughtful and personal way.” McLeod, who created Hinge in 2011, will remain with the app in an advisory capacity as he leads the new venture.
Match Group said Hinge president and chief marketing officer Jackie Jantos will succeed McLeod as CEO. McLeod said in a statement that he has “full confidence in where Hinge is headed,” noting the business’ momentum and that the company is “on track to reach $1 billion in revenue by 2027.”
Match Group CEO Steve Rascoff will also join Overtone’s board. Rascoff said, “We’re proud to have incubated Overtone within Hinge and to now lead its funding round as he builds his next venture,” reflecting Match Group’s hands-on role in the spinout.
The move arrives amid growing incorporation of artificial intelligence across dating platforms. Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd has publicly expressed ambitions to use AI to build what she called “the world’s smartest and most emotionally intelligent matchmaker in existence.” The comment has been part of a broader industry conversation — and, at times, controversy — around how AI should be applied to romantic and social interactions.
Other large players have rolled out AI tools: Meta added an AI assistant to Facebook Dating to combat so-called “swipe fatigue,” helping users find matches and craft unique prompts tailored to their interests; Tinder has introduced AI-enabled features aimed at improving match outcomes; and Hinge itself launched a new AI feature this week called “Convo Starters,” designed to give daters more engaging openers than typical small talk.
