Technology and Science14 July, 20262 min read
Justin McLeod Raises $18 Million To Launch Overtone, An AI Voice Dating Service
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
McLeod raised $18M to launch Overtone, an AI voice-based dating app. Match Group funds Overtone alongside FirstMark Capital and Pace Capital.
McLeod backs Overtone
Justin McLeod, the creator of Hinge, raised $18 million to launch Overtone, an AI-driven service focused on voice and audio-based introductions. McLeod’s new venture is backed by Match Group, which also owns Tinder and OkCupid, and the funding round included FirstMark Capital and Pace Capital.
TechCrunch reported that Overtone describes itself as “a voice- and audio-forward service, enabled by AI, that provides highly curated introductions,” while McLeod wrote in a blog post that “Overtone is not a dating app.” The project is positioned as a departure from swipe-based dating interfaces, with Overtone aiming to move away from “opaque, algorithmic feeds trained on split-second impulses” and instead make only introductions “worth making.”
AI, burnout, and voice
TechCrunch tied Overtone’s pitch to user dissatisfaction, citing a Forbes Health survey conducted in 2024 in which 78% of dating app users felt burnt out. The same TechCrunch report said the survey’s 1,000 respondents spent about 51 minutes per day on dating apps, but that this time investment did not often yield fulfilling connections.
McLeod told TechCrunch that “We get to know each person deeply, learning about them in their own voice, hearing their own unique story,” and he added that “we make only the introductions that are worth making.” La Razón said Overtone would use voice and emotions, with users sending short audio messages while AI analyzes intonation, rhythm, and energy to gauge emotional compatibility.
Board, rollout, and rivals
TechCrunch said Overtone will be available later this year but only in certain locations, and it also named relationship expert Esther Perel as joining the board alongside Match CEO Spencer Rascoff and leadership advisor Diana Chapman. Whalesbook reported that Overtone’s limited release is expected later this year and said the company counts Match Group among its investors, with the goal of building deeper user profiles through voice and audio interactions.
La Razón said Hinge would continue under Jackie Jantos, who is president and chief marketing officer and would assume the role of CEO, while McLeod leaves to launch Overtone. TechCrunch also pointed to other AI-focused dating efforts, saying apps like Ditto and Date Drop are betting on similar approaches to pair users up rather than putting everyone in a pool to swipe.