Thursday ❤️‍🔥

setting the scene

• you open your favorite dating app and start swiping

• after a few matches, you try the go-to pick up lines:

  • “i must be a snowflake, because i've fallen for you” ❄️

  • “any chance you have an extra heart? mine’s been stolen!” 😏

• after several messages the conversation goes dry; time to open the next app 💔

• this week’s company gets rid of aimless scrolling and messaging, turning that swipe right into a memorable night 🪩

in a sentence

Thursday is a dating app that opens once a week for singles to match with each other and sign up for exclusive events

• once a week: “6 out of 7 days of the week, spend time on you, not a dating app”

• events: attend sponsored events at some of the coolest venues across London and NYC

bulleted version: just like how the Bachelor makes us wait a week for the next episode, Thursday builds anticipation for users to find their bachelor(ette)🌹

the basics

• industry: mobile app, dating

• headquarters: London, United Kingdom

• year founded: 2018

• company size: < 30 employees 🧳

• investors: Best Nights VC, Connect Ventures, Ascension Seed Fund, Eldar Tuvey, Henry de Zoute, Ian Hogarth, Matt Robinson, Thomas Blomfield

• amount raised: $5.03m

• investment stage: seed 🌱

due diligence

what “turns us on”

• 🧐 in need of a fresh take: for the 300m+ people using dating apps, over 50% are unsatisfied with their experiences

• 💥 loud marketing: Thursday is making their voice heard with their “viral PR stunts,” including:

  • free chocolate eggs with sex toys inside on Easter

  • an intern handcuffing herself to a poll to celebrate “cuffing season”

• 🎊 events: diversifies revenue streams and creates a user experience outside the app

potential risks

• saturated market: thousands of dating apps exist today

  • even with their new model, the matching functionality isn’t different from what we’ve seen

• 🔀 mixed reviews: while users are excited about the app, some feedback on the App Store shows there’s room for improvement

• too edgy?: Thursday’s marketing turns heads, but walking the line between effective and questionable content may pose challenges

founder profiles

• Matthew McNeill Love (prev. Welsh Guards Officer)

• George Rawlings (prev. @ Brix Points, Agent VOX)

comps

• Tinder

• Bumble

• Hinge

• Clover 

• Happn

• Spark

why Thursday: we are head over heels about Thursday, as the app ties the knot between online and in-person dating

• the once a week model encourages users to make the most of their matches ✅

• exclusive events let singles meet in real life 👥