Early TikTok Executive Returns With New App And Sights Set ...

“I expect to see the U.S. market change, where companies are going to launch multiple products” at the same time, Hofmann says. MORE FROMFORBES ... BETAThisisaBETAexperience.Youmayopt-outby clickinghereMoreFromForbesJun17,2022,11:24amEDTSocialMediaMisinformationIsMakingAmericansLessEmpathicJun15,2022,04:11pmEDTBrowserHistory:TwitterReactsToMicrosoftEndingSupportForInternetExplorerJun14,2022,06:32amEDTMetaAddsKid-SafetyFeaturesToTheMetaverseJun9,2022,04:58amEDTTwitterCalledElonMusk’sBluffAboutBots.ItCouldBackfireJun8,2022,05:15pmEDTTwitterTopsTheListOfMostToxicAppsJun7,2022,07:01pmEDTSocialMediaIsImpactingMilitaryPerformanceAndChangingTheNatureOfWarJun7,2022,04:50amEDTElonMusk’sTwitterDealHasBecomeAMultibillion-DollarGameOfChickenJun6,2022,05:50pmEDTBurgerKingPrideCampaignFacesBacklashOnSocialMediaEditStorySocialMediaEarlyTikTokExecutiveReturnsWithNewAppAndSightsSetOnADifferentIndustry:DatingAbramBrownForbesStaffNew! Followthisauthortoimproveyourcontentexperience. Gotit!May2,2022,10:00amEDT|SharetoFacebookSharetoTwitterSharetoLinkedin AscreenshotfromSpark,anewdatingappfromanearlyTikTokexecutive. CourtesyCompany Adecadeago,Tinderforeverchangedhowwedateandmate,andnearly40%ofAmericansnowsaytheymettheirpartneroveranapp,doublethefigurefromadecadeearlier—andupfromalmostzeroadecadebeforethat.AlexHofmann,anearlyTikTokexecutive,thinkshecandobetterstill. Inconsideringadirectionforhisnewdatingapp,Spark,“Thefeedbackwekeptgettingwas,Whyisn’ttheresomethingthattrulymakesthedatingexperiencemorefrictionless?”Hofmannsays.“Somethingthatallowspeopletospendmoretimeonadateversustryingtofindadate.”SparklaunchestodayintheU.S.afterapilotruninIrelandandtheNetherlandslastyear.Adayafterthoselaunches,SparkhadreachedNo.1onIreland’sApple-downloadchartandNo.2ontheNetherlands’. SparkdoesawaywithTinder’sswipefunctioninfavorofabrowsablegrid—muchlikesomethingyoumightseeonane-commercesite—andhopingtospeeduptheprocessoffindingsomeone.(“Wereallywantedtocombatswipefatigue,”Hofmannsays.)Itsalgorithmprioritizesactiveusers,andtheapp’ssetuprewardsnotonlyloginsbutalsoconsistentinteractionwithotherusers.(There’sasensethatexistingappsdon’tdoagoodjobofmotivatinguserstorespondtomessages.“Unlikeotherapps,Sparkisnotaboutendlesslyaccruinglikes,”hesays.)Hofmannpromisesanotherfeaturewillarriveinafewweeks“thatreallywillmakeussignificantlydifferentfromeverythingthatisoutthere.” Thedating-appindustryisheavilyconcentratedinthehandsofafewgiants:TinderandotherMatchGroupappsandBumble,whichcollectivelyenjoyover$27billioninmarketvalueand$3.2billioninrevenue.HofmannhasexperiencedthepressurearoundcombatingdeeplyentrenchedopponentsasthefirstpresidentofNorthAmericaatMusical.ly;theLosAngelesstartupthatsolditselfin2017toBeijing-ownedByteDanceandeventuallyturnedintoTikTok.HehadjoinedMusical.lyayearbeforethesaleanddepartedthecompanyin2018. SparkisoneseveralappsthatHofmannandhiscofounder,JoeViola,areworkingonat9Count,theirthree-year-old,LosAngeles-basedstartup.(HofmannisCEO,Violathecompanypresident.)They’vehadsomesuccesswithWink,anappformakingfriendshipsonline.Thisspread-betstrategyisliftedfromtheByteDanceplaybook:ByteDancehaslaunchedastringofhitappsoverthelastdecade,thoughmanyareavailableonlytoChineseandoverseasaudiences,likenewsaggregatorToutiaoandLark,aSlack-styleworkplace-messagingsystem.“IexpecttoseetheU.S.marketchange,wherecompaniesaregoingtolaunchmultipleproducts”atthesametime,Hofmannsays. MOREFROMFORBESADVISORBestTravelInsuranceCompaniesByAmyDaniseEditorBestCovid-19TravelInsurancePlansByAmyDaniseEditor 9Counthasraised$21.5million,includingsomefromanearlyMusical.lybacker,GGVCapital.“AlexandJoearebuildinganext-generationsocialcompany,consolidatingdisparateproductsunderonebannerwithoneteamtofindwhatworksforthenextgeneration,”saysHansTung,amanagingpartneratGGVCapitalanda9Countboardmember.“AsanearlyinvestorinMusical.ly,I’veknownAlexforsevenyears,andhehasarealtalentfortappingintoanaudience.” Followmeon Twitter. Sendmeasecure tip. AbramBrownEditorialStandardsPrintReprints&Permissions