A dating app for founders, consultants, doctors and other high performers: This is what Theodora Both is currently building.
A dating app for founders, consultants, doctors and other high performers: This is what Theodora Both is currently building in the start-up scene fellowship “Start-up scene is looking for super founders”. Instead of endless swiping, their app “Alea” uses AI to suggest just a few particularly suitable matches – including automatic scheduling for the first date.
Theodora actually initially wanted to build something together with the two fellows Garry Lazovskis and Minh Vu Ngo – but then the pivot came. “The three of us weren’t quite as productive,” says Theodora, looking back. Her originally planned restaurant app for friends wouldn’t have worked properly even with test reels on Instagram – “even though many people liked the idea when talking to me directly,” she says.
“Startup scene is looking for super founders” is a ten-week startup fellowship from Gründerszene. Eight selected fellows develop consumer startups in Berlin using artificial intelligence – from the idea to the first product. During the program, the fellows work together in the Axel Springer high-rise and are accompanied by experienced entrepreneurs, investors and experts. Partners like OpenAI, Vercel, Dash0 and DHL support them with technology, know-how and mentoring. Gründerszene documents the entire journey with articles, videos and social media content – and shows up close how the next generation of startups is being created today. All resulting products belong to Axel Springer.
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So she took the decision before the first version was finished – and instead started “Alea”, a dating app for ambitious people who work a lot and have little time. While the first website is already available, the app is due to follow this week (you can also register here). Theodora does this with Codex from OpenAI, one of the partners in our program.
A 30-second video as a market study
Theodora had the idea for this from the beginning. In order to validate this, she chose a special approach: short videos on Instagram and TikTok about her app idea, which are not only shown to her community. “I’m looking for test subjects who would like to test my dating app,” she says into the camera. The result surprised even her: “I received at least 20 messages on it,” reports Theodora.
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From their point of view, this is the strongest form of validation: the idea attracts strangers without having to activate those around them. There are already over 100 people on the waiting list for their dating app.
Dating for people who don’t have time
But what does it actually do? Their app is aimed at people who have neither the desire nor the time for classic dating apps. She’s thinking about consultants, founders, doctors – but also journalists and creative people who “work more than 40 hours a week and are still looking for someone who understands this life.”
Inspiration came from entrepreneur Tim Krasenbrink. He said he could only have his relationship because his partner was an entrepreneur herself and understood him. Then she thought to herself: “It would be great if we built a dating app for entrepreneurs.” And it would also make sense from her own experience: “I wouldn’t be able to be with my boyfriend if we weren’t on the same page regarding our careers.” Your university, the WHU in Vallendar, and a collection of ambitious people would also have played a role.
No Raya 2.0
The celebrity dating app Raya serves as a counter-image: “With Raya, nothing is actually controlled anymore,” she says. The app is exclusive, but pays particular attention to the Instagram presence and follower numbers, says Theodora.
Your platform should work differently: Instead of forms, a voice agent greets users. “I want to make dating as AI-native as possible,” says Theodora. The agent asks questions, listens, and learns about the user. The aim is to find out what the user really wants and who suits him.
Few but good matches
The logic of the app differs significantly from dating apps such as Tinder or Bumble. Instead of endless lists, a few but well-curated suggestions for potential partners should be made automatically. It is important that the few hits be “perfect,” says Theodora.
The next step in dating will then also be automated: organizing the meetings. She is planning calendar integration and partnerships with restaurants and bars. The app should see when people have time and directly make suggestions as to when and where a date could take place. The aim is to make as many decisions as possible for the user. “Dating should be made as efficient as possible, although the final decision should still be made by the users,” she says to Gründerszene. Monetization should take place via a subscription model.
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Anyone who wants to be part of Alea must apply. On the waiting list page, users could upload their LinkedIn profile, CV or other evidence. First, Theodora wants to check for herself who fits into the community. Later, AI should help sort profiles and recognize fake accounts.
She is planning a strike system to ensure quality. This means: After every date, a voice agent should ask briefly how it went. Anyone who misbehaves repeatedly will be thrown out. “If someone has three strikes because they messed up, then they get kicked out of the app,” she says. Her goal is to find “really high-quality people” on the app.
“Start-up scene is looking for super founders” powered by Dash0, DHL, OpenAI & Vercel.
