Company

Forerunner Ventures

Forerunner Ventures is a venture capital firm that invested in Known, a dating app with a pay-per-date model.

The short version

Forerunner Ventures is a venture capital firm. The firm was a participant in a $10 million funding round for Known, a dating application. This investment supports Known's distinct revenue model, which charges users for confirmed first dates rather than through subscriptions. The investment highlights a focus on new approaches within the online dating market. Forerunner Ventures' backing of Known indicates an interest in companies that challenge established industry practices. Known's model charges users $15 only when a date is booked and accepted, which differs from the subscription-based revenue streams of many existing dating apps. This approach aims to align the app's success with users successfully meeting in person.

Our coverage of Forerunner Ventures

1 story
  • Known's $10M Bet: Charge Per Date and Let the Incumbents Watch
    Known's $10M Bet: Charge Per Date and Let the Incumbents Watch

    Known, a new dating app, raised $10M to expand its pay-per-confirmed-first-date model. Unlike traditional subscription apps, Known charges $15 only when a user accepts a proposed match and a date is booked, aligning its revenue directly with successful meetings. This model challenges incumbent apps that rely on subscription revenue and incentivize prolonged app usage over successful outcomes.

Questions operators ask

Forerunner Ventures invests in companies that innovate within their respective sectors. Their investment in Known suggests an interest in business models that disrupt traditional dating app revenue streams, such as the pay-per-confirmed-date approach, aligning success with user outcomes rather than prolonged app usage.

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