Groopify
Meeting new people, discovering cool venues and going out with your friends was never so much fun!.
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| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Groopify, founded in 2013 by Pablo Viguera, Miguel Garcia-Santesmases, and Alejandro Coca, operated as a social networking platform with a distinct approach to online dating. The Madrid-based company aimed to facilitate real-world meetings between groups of friends who didn't know each other, moving beyond the one-on-one interactions typical of dating apps. Its service, available via Android and iOS apps, allowed a user to register with two friends, and the platform's algorithm would then match them with another group of three based on shared interests and tastes for a social outing.
The company's business model was two-fold. Primarily, it functioned on a pay-per-lead basis with hospitality venues. By organizing these group meetups at specific bars and cafes, Groopify provided a consistent stream of new customers to its partner establishments. In return for this targeted foot traffic, the venues paid a commission to the platform. This strategy also encompassed marketing and communication support for the partner businesses. Within 18 months of its launch, the platform had attracted over 100,000 registered users and partnered with more than a thousand businesses across 45 cities in Spain.
Groopify's growth was supported by several funding rounds, accumulating a total of approximately $1.39 million. The journey began with accelerator programs in 2014, including investments from Lanzadera and Plug and Play. A significant seed round of €800,000 (around $870K) followed in late 2015, with participation from investors like Pinama, Zriser Group, and Civeta. This capital was intended to fuel international expansion. Ultimately, the company was acquired by Paktor, a larger player in the social dating space, on February 8, 2017, marking its exit from the market as an independent entity.
Keywords: group dating, social planning, meetup app, nightlife, social club, pay-per-lead, hospitality marketing, venue promotion, social discovery, Paktor, Pablo Viguera, Lanzadera, Plug and Play, Zriser Group, Spanish startup, mobile social, event-based dating, friend groups, offline meetings, dating platform