Justin McLeod Raises $18 Million for Overtone as 78% of Dating App Users Report Burnout
Updated
Updated · TechCrunch · Jul 14
Justin McLeod Raises $18 Million for Overtone as 78% of Dating App Users Report Burnout
1 articles · Updated · TechCrunch · Jul 14
Summary
$18 million will fund Overtone, Justin McLeod’s new company launching later this year in select locations with backing from Match Group, FirstMark Capital and Pace Capital.
Overtone pitches itself as a voice- and audio-forward AI service that makes highly curated introductions, not a swipe-based app with profiles, feeds, likes and multiple chats.
McLeod says the product uses AI to learn users’ stories and narrow matches, while keeping actual conversations and connections in human hands rather than automating them.
A 2024 Forbes Health survey of 1,000 users found 78% felt dating-app burnout after spending about 51 minutes a day, underscoring why startups are testing more selective matching models.
Esther Perel joined Overtone’s board alongside Match CEO Spencer Rascoff and leadership adviser Diana Chapman, signaling support from both relationship experts and the online-dating industry.