Blind dating app JigTalk has received investment from Apadmi Ventures, the investment arm of the UK’s leading mobile technology group.
Manchester-based Apadmi, whose clients include the BBC, NHS, Argos and United Utilities, is the latest investor in the rapidly growing firm.
With more than 40 million downloaded apps and numerous international awards, Apadmi established Apadmi Ventures to identify, invest in and work alongside high potential technology start-ups and use their 18 years of mobile knowledge to help them scale quickly, robustly and hit commercial targets.
“We get to see lots of great ideas and people, but the JigTalk team are next-level,” said Howard Simms, CEO of Apadmi Ventures.
“The combination of a hugely disruptive challenge to one of the biggest markets in the world and a group of creative people with such phenomenal drive is extremely exciting.
“We’re already working closely together to enable JigTalk to scale as fast as such a brilliant opportunity deserves.”
Quickly gaining attention for its disruptive gamified alternative to Tinder, JigTalk’s selling point is that “it’s what’s on the inside that counts”.
JigTalking consists of 16 jigsaw pieces initially covering each user’s face, popping away, one by one, as more and more messages are exchanged.
Available for free on iOS and Android, the platform encourages people to move away from the superficial hotspots of current dating apps, and instead positions personality first and foremost.
It was recently featured on our ‘101 Rising Stars of Tech’ list.
JigTalk CEO and co-founder Alex Durrant said: “We’re incredibly excited to bring Apadmi Ventures on board and grow rapidly with their vast expertise and impressive management team.
“It’s yet another step towards disrupting the dating industry.”
Soft-launched in February 2017, the app already has 10,000 users after launching in four cities including Manchester, with a brand-new version due for release in October.
Just last month the Leeds-based firm became the first UK start-up to be accepted into Nasdaq’s Entrepreneurial Centre in San Francisco.