After a decade dominated by "swipe left and right," the next generation of dating apps is breaking the dilemma of superficial matching with voice conversations. Founded by Stanford dropout Celeste Amadon and Asher Allen, the San Francisco startup Known has achieved an 80% conversion rate from initial introductions to offline dates through its AI-powered voice-guided deep conversation matching system—far exceeding the less than 10% meeting rate of traditional dating apps. Recently, the company announced a $9.7 million funding round, led by Forerunner (its first investment in the dating sector), NFX, Pear VC, and Coelius Capital.

image.png

From "Filling Forms" to "Chatting": Understanding Real Needs Through Voice

The core innovation of Known lies in completely abandoning static profile filling. Users engage in deep conversations with AI for an average of 26 minutes (the longest recorded was 1 hour and 38 minutes), answering questions like "You just moved to San Francisco, what do you like about it?" The AI dynamically asks follow-up questions, captures subtle preferences in tone and context, and builds a more comprehensive profile than text-based information.

"People self-censor when writing profiles, but they are more authentic when speaking," explained Amadon. "Many young women don't want to write 'looking for a emotionally stable partner' in their public profiles, but in private conversations, they naturally express it."

Fast Matching Mechanism, Eliminating "Chatting Without Meeting"

The matching process is also efficient:

- After the AI recommends a match, users can learn about the person through an AI assistant;

- Both click "interested" to successfully match;

- Confirm a meeting within 24 hours, then finalize the time and place within another 24 hours;

- Feedback after the date flows back into the AI to continuously improve recommendations.

This mechanism directly addresses the industry's persistent issue of "endless chatting without ever meeting," forcing relationships to move into the real world.

Beyond Matching, Also Managing Meals and Schedules

Known hasn't abandoned its original vision—AI-powered meal reservations. The system recommends restaurants based on both users' taste preferences and dietary restrictions, and coordinates free time slots through calendar integration, providing a full-service experience from matching to execution. During the Beta phase, the platform charges $30 per successful date, and plans to explore subscription or freemium models in the future.

Investors Bet on the "Anti-Isolation" Sector

Eurie Kim, a partner at Forerunner, admitted that she invested in Known because it "truly understands the unspoken needs of young women"—in the context of the worsening "loneliness epidemic" across the U.S., Amadon views dating as "the most urgent social issue of a generation," giving the product a strong social mission.

Currently, the Known team consists of around 10 people, and the company plans to use the new funds to expand its engineering and marketing teams, and officially launch in early 2026. Although competitors like Overtone and Hinge are also exploring AI-based deep matching, Amadon welcomes the competition: "This shows the industry finally realizes: it's time to move beyond swiping."

AIbase believes that the rise of Known is not only a product innovation, but also a reflection on the essence of digital socializing—when AI no longer accelerates screening, but instead promotes deep understanding and genuine connection, technology truly serves people's sense of belonging. In this "anti-algorithm, anti-superficial" dating revolution, perhaps voice is the best way to break the deadlock.