A team of Newcastle University graduates is taking on Tinder after developing the world’s first offline dating app.
Tech startup VisaVis Ventures Ltd was launched by Michalis Panayiotou, Marwan Elwaraki and Steven Li who firmly believe that online dating apps don’t actually want users to meet up in the real world and instead work hard to keep them on apps, where they can monetise engagement.
However, the firm’s app Visavis – which translates as ‘Face to face’ encourages people to get offline and meet up, by not even giving users the option to send messages. The only way you can learn more about people you’re interested in is to fix up a date.
Now, betting on the growing demand for online dating services, the team are targeting current online dating users in search of a more streamlined solution, while also looking to tempt in traditional daters with the app, which is available in the Apple store.
Two of the team are based in Newcastle's Tuspark, as part of Barclays Eagle Labs, while third team member Mr Li is working from Palo Alto in California.
The firm sets itself apart by replacing the traditional message-centric model, with a date-setup service.
Visavis doesn’t allow users to message matches. Instead, they can invite matches to meet for coffee, drinks or food.
After selecting the type of date, they proceed by proposing a nearby venue – a coffee shop, bar or restaurant – followed by a date and time before sending the invitation. Matches are then notified, and they can respond within 24 hours by declining, rescheduling or accepting.
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Visavis, already has backing from Newcastle University and Ignite Accelerator, and plans to disrupt the online dating industry with its innovative model.
Mr Panayiotou, a marketing and management graduate, said: “Traditional dating apps do not actually want you to go on offline dates.
“They monetise on the online behaviour of users, so the more time they keep you online — swiping, matching and messaging, the more revenue they generate through in-app purchases.
“This fundamentally flawed approach is what motivated us to build Visavis.
“Our mission is to positively influence our social culture by redefining the relationship between people and technology. We imagine a world where people spend less time on their screens and more time connecting offline. Dating is undoubtedly best experienced with all five senses.”
Dating apps have skyrocketed in popularity and are now enjoying mainstream adoption while contributing £11.7bn to the 海角视频 economy every year.
The team launched Visavis in response to online daters growing increasingly frustrated with existing solutions and, through user research, identified that it takes on average 12 hours of dating app usage to yield less than two hours of offline interaction, and more than 80% of messages on dating apps go unanswered.
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Looking ahead to the next 12 months the firm is planning a seed investment round and the development of the Android version and international expansion.
Mr Panayiotou added: "Last week we exceeded the 1,000 users milestone, and we are also fast approaching the 100th date milestone.
"Going for drinks is by far the most popular date type on Visavis (80%), followed by coffee (14%) and food (6%)."