OneGoodCrush.com
closedOnline dating site for the relationship-minded gay and lesbian community.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
$900k | Seed | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
OneGoodCrush operated in the online dating market with a specific focus on the LGBTQ+ community. Founded in 2014 by Nicholas Marlin and Frank Mastronuzzi, the West Hollywood-based company aimed to provide a platform for individuals seeking serious relationships, a departure from the hook-up culture prevalent in other apps. The venture was supported by notable funding, including a seed round of $800K in 2012, with total funding reaching $1.35M. The co-founder of Match.com contributed half a million dollars towards the app's production.
The core of the business was a location-based mobile dating application available on both iOS and Android platforms. Its primary feature was a mutual-like system; users could browse profiles, express interest, and if the interest was reciprocated, a match was made, enabling private chat functionality. A key differentiator was its emphasis on inclusivity beyond binary gender and sexuality options. The app allowed users to identify with various gender markers, including man, woman, transgender man, transgender woman, and queer, tailoring the user experience based on gender identity and sexual orientation. This was a significant move at the time, as popular apps like Tinder had not yet incorporated such inclusivity for transgender and gender-variant individuals.
The business model was centered around the free-to-download application, with the company aiming to capture a segment of the LGBTQ+ market focused on long-term partnerships rather than casual encounters. At its peak, the platform garnered nearly 20,000 sign-ups during its beta phase. However, despite its focused market position and initial traction, OneGoodCrush ultimately ceased operations, with its status marked as "Out of Business" as of February 2019.
Keywords: LGBTQ+ dating app, online dating, mobile dating, Nicholas Marlin, Frank Mastronuzzi, location-based dating, inclusive dating, serious relationships, social platform software, mutual likes, queer dating, transgender dating, LGBTQ+ community, West Hollywood startup, venture capital, seed funding