Zoosk Network
The launch of Zoosk Live! Marks Spark Networks' initial step into the emerging social discovery sector. Social discovery is the business of connecting people with mutual interests, such as. Zoosk has several customer support platforms through which you can direct your inquiries. The dating site is available on top social media networks, including Twitter and Facebook. Company Name: Zoosk, Inc. Is the owner of the Zoosk dating platform. Address: 989 Market Street, 6th floor, San Francisco, CA 94103; Zip Code + City: San Francisco. Zoosk is an online dating service available in 25 languages and in more than 80 countries. The founders of the company are Shayan Zadeh and Alex Mehr, who ran the company until December 2014. After struggles that year, Kelly Steckelberg became the company's new CEO. In July 2019, Zoosk became part of Spark Networks SE. Zoosk application was found in the year 2007 December by Shayan Zadeh and Alex Mehr in Fremont, California. Zoosk dating is known for its broad network of individuals, where the greater part originates from the United States. Is Zoosk available worldwide?
Industry | Consumer services |
---|---|
Founded | Fremont, California, U.S. (2007) |
Founder | Alex Mehr Shayan Zadeh Brad Henrickson John Smart |
Headquarters | , Germany |
Worldwide | |
Services | Online dating service |
Revenue | US$178.23 million (2013) |
−US$2.62 million (2013) | |
174 (April 2014)[1] | |
Website | zoosk.com |
Zoosk is an online dating service available in 25 languages and in more than 80 countries.[2] The founders of the company are Shayan Zadeh and Alex Mehr, who ran the company until December 2014.[3] After struggles that year, Kelly Steckelberg became the company's new CEO.[4] In July 2019, Zoosk became part of Spark Networks SE.
History[edit]
Zoosk launched in December 2007. Its co-founders, Shayan Zadeh and Alex Mehr, were the company's original CEOs. They are both Iranian immigrants who migrated to US to continue their education.[5][6][7] Zadeh and Mehr met as undergraduates at Sharif University of Technology in Iran and travelled to the US together to attend graduate school at the University of Maryland.[8] Zadeh worked at Microsoft after graduating with a master's degree from University of Maryland in computer science, which is part of the University of Maryland College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences. Mehr earned his master's degree and PhD and later worked for NASA. Mehr attended business school at the University of California at Berkeley, but he dropped out to work on Zoosk.[9]
In April 2014, Zoosk filed S-1 paperwork for an initial public offering as it sought to raise $100 million in capital.[10] In the S-1, the company reported 2013 revenues of $178.2 million, a 63% increase over the previous year, and that it had cut losses 87% to $2.6 million.[10] It has 27 million members,[3] of which 650,000 were paying subscribers, and its membership was growing 44% year-over-year.[10][11] Zoosk had reached the position of no. 1 grossing dating app and a top 25 grossing app on the AppleiOS App Store.[11]
Despite $200 million in revenue collected in 2014, as well as a profit the previous year, Zoosk lost money in 2014. This is due to the company overspending on expansion and over-hiring. The company was also operating on the start-up principle that profits do not matter. With these problems at the company, Zoosk canceled its IPO in December. In January 2015, they laid off 15% of their staff. To improve revenue, the company decided in November 2014 to require a paid membership to send messages.[4]
On March 21, 2019, Spark Networks SE (a global dating company with a portfolio of dating brands) announced a definitive deal to acquire Zoosk.[12] The deal was finalized on July 1, 2019, forming North America's second-largest dating company in revenues.[13]
Product[edit]
Zoosk has an iOS and Android app and a desktop chat client. Zoosk uses big data and algorithmic recommendations technology to help users find partners.[11] Its 'proprietary Behavioral Matchmaking engine' learns from users' clicks, messaging, and other actions to help produce more accurate matches.[11] The idea is that the more data Zoosk obtains from its users, the better its recommendations can be.[11]
In August 2014, Zoosk added its Photo Verification service, designed to prevent users from 'posting photos of themselves when they were 10 years younger or 20 pounds lighter'.[14] To verify a photo, users are asked to take a video selfie in order to record their appearance from multiple angles. Zoosk moderators then determine if the user's profile photo and video match. When they do, the user receives a green check next to his or her photos.[14] The feature was released first to the Zoosk iOS app, followed by Android.[15]
In January 2018, Zoosk launched Insignia, a way for U.S. military service members to verify their status.[16] The feature is meant to reduce instances of stolen valor, particularly in connection to romance scams.[17]
Zoosk users are aged 18 and older.[18] It uses gamification and popularity rankings to encourage participation.[19]
Funding[edit]
Zoosk's investors include Bessemer Venture Partners, ATA Ventures and Canaan Partners.[6] The company has raised more than $60 million in equity.[11]
Pricing model[edit]
Until November 2014, Zoosk charged no fee to start using the app and to send one message to another person. Since November 2014, contact and interaction beyond the first message per person requires a premium (i.e., paid) subscription.[4][20]
Awards and recognition[edit]
In 2014, Zoosk was named to the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America, ranking no. 1660.[21]
In 2014, the San Francisco Business Times also named Shayan Zadeh to its 40 Under 40 list of Bay Area entrepreneurs.[22]
The Wall Street Journal ranked Zoosk no. 29 on its The Next Big Thing 2011 – The Top 50 Venture-Funded Companies list, up from the No. 42 spot the previous year.[5][6]
About.com's 2011 Reader's Choice Awards named Zoosk's iPhone app a finalist in its Best Dating App competition.[23]
According to AppAppeal, in August 2012 Zoosk was the fifth most popular dating app in the world and the third in the U.S.[24] In 2012, the company also won an Effie Award for its advertising campaign 'Online Dating, Your Way'.[25][26]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^'Best Places to Work 2014'. Website. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
- ^'What is Zoosk?'. Zoosk. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
- ^ ab'Form S-1'. Form S-1 registration statement. SEC.gov. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
- ^ abcRoberts, Daniel (March 25, 2015). 'Meet the woman tasked with saving Zoosk'. Fortune. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
- ^ ab'The Next Big Thing 2011 - The Top 50 Venture-Funded Companies'The Wall Street Journal Accessed September 6, 2012
- ^ abcKincaid, Jason 'Zoosk Lands Another $30 Million for Social Dating'The Washington Post Accessed September 6, 2012
- ^'Zoosk profile'CrunchBase Accessed September 6, 2012
- ^'Online Dating Website Zoosk Files for IPO of Up To $100M'. Fox Business Network. 2014. Retrieved May 11, 2014.
- ^'Shayan Zadeh & Alex Mehr Interview'Vimeo Accessed September 6, 2012
- ^ abcBercovici, Jeff (16 April 2014). 'Zoosk Files For IPO; Here's What You Need To Know'. Forbes. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
- ^ abcdefLawler, Ryan (16 April 2014). 'Online Dating Site Zoosk Files For $100M IPO, With $178M in Revenues And A$2.6M Net Loss in 2013'. TechCrunch. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
- ^'Spark Networks SE Enters Definitive Agreement to Acquire Zoosk, Inc., Creating the Second Largest Dating Company in North America'. www.businesswire.com. 2019-03-21. Retrieved 2019-07-01.
- ^'Spark Networks SE Closes Zoosk, Inc. Acquisition'. finance.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2019-07-01.
- ^ abLapowsky, Issie (21 August 2014). 'This Dating Site Is Teaching the Internet an Important Lesson About Anonymity'. Wired. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
- ^Moscaritolo, Angela (21 August 2014). 'Avoid Getting Catfished With Zoosk Photo Verification'. PC Magazine. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
- ^'Introducing Zoosk Insignia, U.S. Service Member Verification to Fight Romance Scams'. The Date Mix. 2018-01-25. Retrieved 2019-03-14.
- ^'How a Billion-Dollar Internet Scam Is Breaking Hearts and Bank Accounts'. HuffPost. 2017-07-20. Retrieved 2019-03-14.
- ^'CrunchBase'. CrunchBase. CrunchBase. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
- ^Staff (2012-04-27). 'Zoosk Utilizes Gamification to Improve Online Dating'. Gamification Co. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
- ^'Do I Have To Pay? : Zoosk Help'. Zoosk.zendesk.com. 2011-01-11. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
- ^'Inc. 5000 2014'. Inc.com. Inc. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
- ^Staff. 'Shayan Zadeh: CEO and co-founder, Zoosk'. Website. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
- ^'Best Dating App Readers' Choice Award 2011 Finalists'. About.com. Retrieved September 9, 2012
- ^'The Most Popular Dating App Per Country'AppAppeal Accessed September 10, 2012
- ^'Effie:Zoosk'Archived August 26, 2012, at the Wayback MachineEffie Worldwide Accessed September 9, 2012
- ^'Effie Awards' Advertising Educational Foundation Accessed September 10, 2012
External links[edit]
Zoosk Network
Listed on the NYSE American LLC exchange under the ticker symbol ‘LOV’, Spark Networks SE is a leading global dating company with a widening portfolio of premium & freemium apps.
Love, Success and Happiness start with connecting the right people
Our Portfolio
EliteSingles is designed for educated and successful single professionals seeking a committed, long-term relationship with someone who fits their high demands. Its users benefit from a smart matchmaking system that provides them with quality matches. EliteSingles offers a complete “elite” experience; high quality matching based on compatibility, publishing relationship advice on its online magazine, and ensuring a safe environment with 100% verified profiles. This is why EliteSingles is the platform of choice for those successful professionals who have already experienced serious relationships, know what they want, and are ready to love again.
With 40 million singles using the platform, Zoosk is without doubt one of America’s leading and most recognizable dating sites. Much of Zoosk’s popularity rests on its unique approach to online dating. Its Behavioral Matchmaking technology uses big data insights from Zoosk’s vast membership base to provide users with highly accurate and tailored matches, all in real time. It’s little wonder then why Zoosk has grown to be the number one grossing dating app in Apple App Store US. Available in more than 80 countries and translated into 25 languages, Zoosk is a truly global brand that resonates with singles worldwide.
Christian Mingle is the leading Christian dating site for single men and women looking for a God-centered relationship. What sets us apart is our ability to help our members make quality connections. We feature robust profiles and personalization features to help members connect with other like-minded members. Plus, our suite of powerful communication tools help members meet more people and make deeper connections. It’s why so many Christian singles have turned to Christian Mingle to help them find their special someone.
Jdate is the leading Jewish dating site for single Jewish men and women looking to make a great connection with other Jewish singles. What sets us apart is our ability to help our members make quality connections. We feature robust profiles and personalization features to help members connect with other like-minded members. Plus, our suite of powerful communication tools help members meet more people and make deeper connections. It’s why so many Jewish singles have turned to Jdate to help them find their special Jewish someone.
eDarling is one of the leading European online partner agencies and is aimed at discerning singles that are looking for a long-term relationship. Take the personality test and find truly compatible matches. Receive match suggestions, enjoy unlimited communication, view all photos and meet people in your area!
With over 600,000 users across 70 countries, JSwipe is the largest and fastest growing Jewish dating app. Launched on Passover 2014, the app helps Jewish millennials find love, romance and friendship with singles in their local communities and across the world. It’s little surprise that JSwipe has quickly established itself as a firm favorite for young Jewish singles looking to meet people who share a similar culture.
LDSSingles.com was created in 1996 as a safe and fun way for LDS singles to meet online and build meaningful relationships. Known for its high standards and innovative services, LDSSingles is the premier destination for LDS singles to find love, friendship and romance with likeminded people who share the same faith and values! More than 500,000 profiles have been created since the site first launched and more than a thousand couples have found their match on LDSSingles, making it the most successfulLDS singles site worldwide when it comes to finding love within the Mormon community.
Adventist Singles is the leading Adventist dating site for single men and women looking for a loving, God-centered relationship built on love and mutual faith. Unlike other dating sites, faith and values are built into this community, and are more than just a box you check in your search filter. Users who register have a common goal: finding a life-long partner that shares their beliefs. This is why so many Seventh-day Adventists have turned to Adventist Singles to help them find their special someone.
SilverSingles is an exclusive online community for singles aged 50 and over. From companionship to dating to marriage, this site is replete with singles who are over the age of 50 and in the prime of their lives! Founded in 2002 as PrimeSingles.net, SilverSingles’ mission is to bring like-minded singles who share similar experiences together in a safe, clean, and fun environment. Thousands of mature singles have joined the site in hopes of meeting and connecting with other men and women in their “silver” years!
CROSSPATHS is the premier mobile, Christian dating app that helps like-minded Christians meet, date and relate! By asking members to choose their faith spectrum, we give single Christians a convenient way to identify the best match for them personally! Once there is a mutual interest, CROSSPATHS connects members who can then use the app to chat in real-time. Meet and chat for free with a level of security and flexibility that other apps just can’t offer, and find love built on a foundation of faith.
Weekly Dating Insider is an online magazine covering the topics of love and dating. Get the latest news on the world of online dating and what you need to know before getting out there and finding love!
Launched in 2007, Attractive World is a high-end online dating site for demanding singles; those who refuse to settle for less than great! The particularity of the site is based on its selection process: this is the only leading dating site that lets its own members decide who gets in. If you want to join, you’ll first have to impress the Attractive World community. Will you make the cut?
EliteSingles is designed for educated and successful single professionals seeking a committed, long-term relationship with someone who fits their high demands. Its users benefit from a smart matchmaking system that provides them with quality matches. EliteSingles offers a complete “elite” experience; high quality matching based on compatibility, publishing relationship advice on its online magazine, and ensuring a safe environment with 100% verified profiles. This is why EliteSingles is the platform of choice for those successful professionals who have already experienced serious relationships, know what they want, and are ready to love again.
With 40 million singles using the platform, Zoosk is without doubt one of America’s leading and most recognizable dating sites. Much of Zoosk’s popularity rests on its unique approach to online dating. Its Behavioral Matchmaking technology uses big data insights from Zoosk’s vast membership base to provide users with highly accurate and tailored matches, all in real time. It’s little wonder then why Zoosk has grown to be the number one grossing dating app in Apple App Store US. Available in more than 80 countries and translated into 25 languages, Zoosk is a truly global brand that resonates with singles worldwide.
Christian Mingle is the leading Christian dating site for single men and women looking for a God-centered relationship. What sets us apart is our ability to help our members make quality connections. We feature robust profiles and personalization features to help members connect with other like-minded members. Plus, our suite of powerful communication tools help members meet more people and make deeper connections. It’s why so many Christian singles have turned to Christian Mingle to help them find their special someone.
Jdate is the leading Jewish dating site for single Jewish men and women looking to make a great connection with other Jewish singles. What sets us apart is our ability to help our members make quality connections. We feature robust profiles and personalization features to help members connect with other like-minded members. Plus, our suite of powerful communication tools help members meet more people and make deeper connections. It’s why so many Jewish singles have turned to Jdate to help them find their special Jewish someone.
eDarling is one of the leading European online partner agencies and is aimed at discerning singles that are looking for a long-term relationship. Take the personality test and find truly compatible matches. Receive match suggestions, enjoy unlimited communication, view all photos and meet people in your area!
With over 600,000 users across 70 countries, JSwipe is the largest and fastest growing Jewish dating app. Launched on Passover 2014, the app helps Jewish millennials find love, romance and friendship with singles in their local communities and across the world. It’s little surprise that JSwipe has quickly established itself as a firm favorite for young Jewish singles looking to meet people who share a similar culture.
LDSSingles.com was created in 1996 as a safe and fun way for LDS singles to meet online and build meaningful relationships. Known for its high standards and innovative services, LDSSingles is the premier destination for LDS singles to find love, friendship and romance with likeminded people who share the same faith and values! More than 500,000 profiles have been created since the site first launched and more than a thousand couples have found their match on LDSSingles, making it the most successfulLDS singles site worldwide when it comes to finding love within the Mormon community.
Adventist Singles is the leading Adventist dating site for single men and women looking for a loving, God-centered relationship built on love and mutual faith. Unlike other dating sites, faith and values are built into this community, and are more than just a box you check in your search filter. Users who register have a common goal: finding a life-long partner that shares their beliefs. This is why so many Seventh-day Adventists have turned to Adventist Singles to help them find their special someone.
SilverSingles is an exclusive online community for singles aged 50 and over. From companionship to dating to marriage, this site is replete with singles who are over the age of 50 and in the prime of their lives! Founded in 2002 as PrimeSingles.net, SilverSingles’ mission is to bring like-minded singles who share similar experiences together in a safe, clean, and fun environment. Thousands of mature singles have joined the site in hopes of meeting and connecting with other men and women in their “silver” years!
CROSSPATHS is the premier mobile, Christian dating app that helps like-minded Christians meet, date and relate! By asking members to choose their faith spectrum, we give single Christians a convenient way to identify the best match for them personally! Once there is a mutual interest, CROSSPATHS connects members who can then use the app to chat in real-time. Meet and chat for free with a level of security and flexibility that other apps just can’t offer, and find love built on a foundation of faith.
Zoosk Social Network
Weekly Dating Insider is an online magazine covering the topics of love and dating. Get the latest news on the world of online dating and what you need to know before getting out there and finding love!
Launched in 2007, Attractive World is a high-end online dating site for demanding singles; those who refuse to settle for less than great! The particularity of the site is based on its selection process: this is the only leading dating site that lets its own members decide who gets in. If you want to join, you’ll first have to impress the Attractive World community. Will you make the cut?
Investor Relations
Spark Networks SE is a leading global dating company with a widening portfolio of premium & freemium apps.
Zoosk Romantic Social Network
These brands include Zoosk, EliteSingles, Jdate, Christian Mingle, eDarling, JSwipe and Attractive World. Formed in 2017 through the merger of Affinitas GmbH and Spark Networks, Inc., the company has a presence in 29 countries worldwide and is publicly listed on the NYSE American exchange under the ticker symbol “LOV.”