The GDI & Social Discovery Podcast

In this episode, host Mark Brooks speaks with Quincy Yang, CEO of Coffee Meets Bagel North America, about the company's commitment to intentional dating, its growth strategy, and the future of AI in online dating. Yang explains how Coffee Meets Bagel has remained committed to its “friction by design” philosophy, prioritising intentional, high-quality matches over endless swiping. As swipe fatigue...

In this episode, Brittnee talks about her mission to tackle dating app fatigue by reintroducing intentional connection into online dating. Barnes, whose background is in building and scaling consumer brands, co-founded Vybes after sharing frustrations with friends—now co-founders—about the time-consuming and often unrewarding nature of modern dating apps. While swiping delivers matches at scale, s...

In this episode of the GDI Podcast, host Mark Brooks speaks with Candice Gallagher, founder of SinglePore and 30 Girls Club, about how dating culture is evolving for people in their 30s and 40s. Candice shares her journey from creating dating content in Singapore to launching sold-out matchmaking and social events that blend online tools with real-world connection. She explores the emotional reali...

In this episode of the GDI Podcast, host Bill Alaina sits down with Lavina Lim, Product Manager at Feeld, to explore how the app is redefining dating through curiosity, fluidity, and self-discovery. Lavina shares Feeld’s origin story and explains how the platform was built to challenge heteronormative, destination-focused dating models in favour of more open, exploratory approaches to connection....

n this episode of the GDI Podcast, host Mark Brooks sits down with Emma Sayle, the powerhouse founder & CEO behind Killing Kittens and WAX, to unpack how a rebellious idea from a frustrated 26-year-old became a global movement empowering women, redefining intimacy, and reshaping the future of sex-positive communities. Emma shares the unfiltered founding story of Killing Kittens, how its unapologet...

In this episode of the GDI Podcast, host Mark Brooks (CEO, Courtland Brooks) sits down with Ikuho Nakahata, Head of Marketing at Tapple, one of Japan’s largest and most influential dating apps. Ikuho offers an insider’s look into the Japanese online dating market—its unique dynamics, user behavior, government involvement, and how modern dating apps in Japan are evolving to meet shifting societal e...

In the latest episode of the GDI Podcast, Mark Brooks, CEO of Courtland Brooks, speaks with David Vermeulen, co-founder and CEO of Inner Circle, about the brand’s curated approach to dating, its explosive growth in Latin America, and its vision for 2027. Vermeulen shares the origins of Inner Circle, which began as a response to the impersonal and time-consuming nature of early online dating. His m...

In this week's episode, we speak with Maxime Barbier, founder and CEO of TimeLeft. The fast-growing social dining platform is bringing strangers together for shared experiences around the world. Launched in 2020, TimeLeft has evolved through four major pivots before finding its winning formula: small-group dinners in cities worldwide. Today, the subscription-based service operates in 250+ cities a...

Mark Rollings, Co-Founder at Paranormal Date by The GDI & Social Discovery Podcast

Marco van der Woude, Breeze App by The GDI & Social Discovery Podcast

Adam Cohen-Aslatei, CEO of Three Day Rule by The GDI & Social Discovery Podcast

Richa Rival, CEO and Founder of Walnut App by The GDI & Social Discovery Podcast

Eventful is a dating app focused on facilitating offline dating experiences to combat user burnout from traditional apps. In this episode, Tegan discussed Eventful's matching process based on shared interests and date activity suggestions. She also goes into detail about the company's origin, approach to dating and event booking and focus on mental well-being. Tegan also talks about the evolution...

Violet Lim, CEO of Lunch Actually by The GDI & Social Discovery Podcast

In this episode,

Pieter Reuse, Founder of BeeDee by The GDI & Social Discovery Podcast

In this episode, Ethan talks to industry consultant Bill Alena to discuss his innovative approach to dating apps, focusing exclusively on the 18-28 demographic and creating a vibrant, music-driven user experience. Ethan shared how his own experiences, combined with those of his friends, led him to realize that the current dating landscape wasn’t truly meeting the needs of younger users. While apps...

Brownie Marie, Founder of Fox Hunters Club by The GDI & Social Discovery Podcast

Hari Gopal - Founder, Hearts Dating by The GDI & Social Discovery Podcast

Alexandra Beaumont, CEO of Once, Social Discovery Group by The GDI & Social Discovery Podcast

In this episode, Christof introduces us to Hornet, the fun, go-to app for fun, engaging chat with gay men. We hear about the background behind setting up the platform, which has more than 100 million users across the globe, and what key market trends Christof is seeing in the market.

UrbanMatch was founded with a bold vision: to redefine how the South Asian diaspora connects and forges meaningful romantic relationships. In this episiode, Aryavrat shares the company's story and how it has grown into a thriving community and become a matchmaking platform tailored to South Asians living abroad.

In this episode. Ankit introduces us to Flamme - the dating app for couples who feel disconnected due to busy work schedules or long distance, helping them connect better with gamified healthy habits and an AI coach. He shares his thoughts on what he is seeing in the online dating and matchmaking market, what advice he would give to those in the industry and how he sees it playing out in 2025.

In this episode, Kaushik introduces us to Flutrr, which is building long-term relationships and meaningful connections in India. He shares the story of the company and key updates about its app and technology, plus looks ahead to what the industry has in store for 2025.

In this episode, we talk to Colin about DOWN App and what role it plays in the online dating and matchmaking market. He tells us more about what the business and what is in store for 2025, as well as sharing his views on the current state of the industry