Ex-Tinder employees launch professional networking app Ripple
A team of former Tinder employees has launched a new professional networking app in a bid to make waves in the LinkedIn-dominated market.
Dubbed Ripple (nope, not the cryptocurrency), the mobile app was launched by a team of ex-Tinder folks, including former CTO Ryan Ogle.
According to TechCrunch, the iOS and Android app was backed by IAC’s Match Group, which owns Tinder, for an undisclosed sum — there are no other investors, apart from the founders.
"Professional networking is pretty terrible today," wrote Ogle on Ripple's news blog. "That was our consensus when we started reflecting on our own experiences with the networks out there today. Interfaces packed with ads, unwanted mail from recruiters and salespeople, and a lack of community.
"It’s a shame; like most people, we want to build and leverage our professional network, but we just couldn’t perform the tasks we wanted using the tools available. They’re hard to use, hard to find, or hidden behind a paywall. They simply missed the mark."
"We set out on a mission to create a true professional network ... One that put users (not recruiters and salesmen) first."
Like LinkedIn, users build a digital resume/profile and select their industry and skills, before Ripple calculates potential industry connections. But unlike the Microsoft-owned networking site, Ripple allows you to swipe to request a connection, like Tinder. Plus, you can join and create groups and events within the app.
There's also feature called Face Connect, which uses facial identification to connect a photo you've taken of someone you've met IRL with their Ripple profile. You can also use the Nearby feature to find users around you.
The app also features a news feed integrated with Twitter and Medium.
Women-first dating app Bumble beat Ripple to the punch in October 2017, launching their own business networking mode, Bumble Bizz. Users can professionally network, connect, and mentor as they swipe through the app's 20 million-strong community.
Tinder itself is yet to launch a successful professional networking arm, but with people using dating apps at their desks anyway, could it be time?
Topics Tinder
Shannon Connellan is Mashable's UK Editor based in London, formerly Mashable's Australia Editor, but emotionally, she lives in the Creel House. A Tomatometer-approved critic, Shannon writes about entertainment, tech, social good, science, culture, and Australian horror.
