Joiner Wanted to Be an 'Anti-Tinder', But Some Users Already Have a Wedding Planned
Observador, one of Portugal's leading news outlets, published an in-depth feature on Joiner's launch in Portugal.
The Anti-Tinder Concept
Joiner was born from co-founder Eduard Titov's frustration with dating apps during an extended stay in Kazakhstan. Together with Jurate Plungyte, former Uber CMO in Lithuania, they created an app that is "the opposite of a dating app", focused on fighting urban loneliness and dating app burnout through real-life group activities.
How It Works
- Users discover and join group activities, from karaoke to museum visits, home dinners to sports
- Event hosts can review participant profiles before approving them
- The app works as a social network with chats, followers, and language filters
- No ads, no commercial promotions, only person-to-person events
Key Numbers
- 50,000+ users in 20 months since Lithuania launch
- 1,000+ downloads in Lisbon in the first week and a half
- 12,000+ events organized through the platform
- €300K+ investment in local teams in Portugal
- 600+ activities attended by co-founder Eduard personally
Unexpected Love Stories
"It wasn't our goal, but we're creating couples. Some already have a wedding planned," said co-founder Jurate. Relationships form naturally through group activities, without the pressure of one-on-one dating.
Portugal as International Launchpad
After falling in love with Lisbon during Web Summit, the founders chose Portugal over Spain as their first international market. The goal: 250,000 users, with focus on Lisbon and Porto, before expanding to Spain and eventually the US.