Vu Tran had been frustrated with old-fashioned relationship apps. As a male that is asian he felt that the existing offerings “get hijacked by the bulk.”
Therefore, Tran and some buddies invested a week-end building an application that has been centered on minorities and people whom like minorities. That has been two months ago — since then, colors Dating has drawn significantly more than 30,000 users and a large amount of good feedback.
Tran, a Seattle native whom re-located towards the Bay region after stints with StudentRND and Tune, stated he mainly made Color Dating after females regularly told him that “I don’t date Asian guys,” or, “I’m simply not interested in Asian dudes.”
Tran felt that this is unjust and that the trend carried over into dating apps like Tinder. He cited experiments that revealed Asian males getting somewhat fewer “matches” than Caucasian males and studies that demonstrated exactly exactly just exactly how difficult internet dating can be for black colored ladies.
“All the dating data I’ve seen fits OkCupid’s pattern: black colored individuals and Asian males have quick shrift,” noted A okcupid research from 2014.
Vu, whom had Y Combinator with two split startups before releasing colors Dating, stated that the internet experience that is dating specially for quick-swipe apps like Tinder — could be irritating for minorities.
“If a residential area is predominately a particular competition and expresses a specific choice, in the event that you don’t fit aided by the bulk, you’ll wind up having an awful experience,” he stated.
During the exact same time, he knew buddies who had been interested in women and men outside of their particular competition, however they felt want it had been too taboo to follow such a thing due to stress from moms and dads or other reasons.
Colors Dating is designed to facilitate more good communications around interracial relationship. It emphasizes preferences that are racial asks users their intercourse and ethnicity, along side just just just exactly exactly what intercourse and ethnicity these are typically thinking about, if they create a merchant account. After that, the ability is Tinder-like, with swiping and matches. Users will pay for premium features like limitless loves — Tran said colors Dating has already been lucrative.
Some experts state the software is counter-intuitive.
“How performs this re re solve such a thing?” published one ProductHunt individual. “The creator complains about being judged by competition, after which proceeds to construct an software based totally about judging individuals by competition?”
Right Right Right Here had been Tran’s reaction:
Possibly we wasn’t clear, but exactly what we supposed to explain is that overtime, we felt such as the racial judgment against me personally wasn’t fundamentally a thing that is bad. It’s hard, or even impractical to control who you’re interested in and didn’t suggest they didn’t anything like me as an individual.
Alternatively, we’re wanting to concentrate on facilitating an improved environment and experience.
Tran stated he hopes Color Dating provides a residential district, unlike what he’s familiar with other dating apps. He desires users to speak with folks that are likeminded feel much like them “without feeling completely only inside their globe.”
“Tinder is actually concerning the hookup culture,” he said. “We wish to go toward a lot more of the city part of it.”
Tran noted that we now have numerous comparable apps like Where White People Meet or Black People Meet that target verticals that are specific.
“We’re searching to create that huge market together and Tinderize them,” he said.
Colors Dating has reeled in a little amount of money from angel investors and it is seeking to raise its seed round.
GeekWire’s protection this is underwritten by Bank of America week.
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