Vu Tran had been frustrated with old-fashioned relationship apps. Being a male that is asian he felt that the present offerings “get hijacked because of the bulk.”
Therefore, Tran and some friends invested a week-end building an application that has been dedicated to minorities and the ones whom like minorities. Which was 2 months ago — since then, colors Dating has drawn a lot more than 30,000 users and a lot of good feedback.
Tran, a Seattle native whom re-located into the Bay Area after stints with StudentRND and Tune, said which 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 therefore the trend carried over into dating apps like Tinder. He cited experiments that revealed Asian men getting notably fewer “matches” than Caucasian males and studies that demonstrated just just exactly exactly just how difficult dating that is online be for black colored ladies.
“All the dating data I’ve seen fits OkCupid’s pattern: black colored people and Asian guys have brief shrift,” noted A okcupid research from 2014.
Vu, whom had Y Combinator with two split startups before establishing colors Dating, stated that the internet dating experience — specially for quick-swipe apps like Tinder — could be difficult for minorities.
“If a residential area is predominately a specific competition and expresses a specific choice, in the event that you don’t fit aided by the bulk, you’ll datemyage coupon find yourself having an awful experience,” he stated.
During the exact same time, he knew buddies who have been drawn to both women and men away from their very own battle, nonetheless they felt want it ended up being too taboo to pursue any such thing as a result of force from moms and dads or any other reasons.
Colors Dating is designed to facilitate more good communications around interracial relationship. It emphasizes racial choices and asks users their intercourse and ethnicity, along side exactly just exactly what intercourse and ethnicity they truly are thinking about, once they create a free account. After that, the ability is Tinder-like, with swiping and matches. Users pays 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 solve any such thing?” had written one ProductHunt individual. “The founder complains about being judged by battle, after which proceeds to construct a software based totally about judging individuals by battle?”
Right Right Right Here had been Tran’s reaction:
Possibly we wasn’t clear, but exactly what we designed to explain is the fact that overtime, we felt such as the racial judgment against me personally wasn’t always a bad thing. It’s hard, or even impractical to control who you’re interested in and didn’t suggest they didn’t just like me as an individual.
Alternatively, we’re wanting to give attention to assisting a significantly better environment and experience.
Tran stated he hopes Color Dating provides a residential district, unlike what he’s familiar with other apps that are dating. He wishes users to speak with likeminded folks that feel comparable to them “without feeling completely only inside their globe.”
“Tinder is truly 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 carry that huge market together and Tinderize them,” he said.
Colors Dating has reeled in an amount that is small of from angel investors and it is seeking to raise its seed round.
GeekWire’s protection this week is underwritten by Bank of America.
Computing for All (CFA) is empowering underrepresented youth with all the tools and resources they must enter Washington’s quickly growing IT workforce.
