Badoo, the majority owner of the dating app Bumble, is seeking a sale that could value the company at $1.5 billion (2024)

Whitney Wolfe, CEO of bumble

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Badoo, the majority owner of the dating application Bumble, which gives women sole power to initiate conversations, is seeking a sale that could value the company at about $1.5 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.

Badoo owns 79 percent of Bumble, according to sources. While Bumble is Badoo's largest U.S. property, Badoo's eponymous dating app has been one of the most downloaded dating apps in the world.

Possible buyers include Match Group, which owns mobile dating app Tinder, as well as non-U.S. based strategic buyers and private equity buyers, said the people, who asked not to be named because the discussions are private. Badoo has hired J.P. Morgan Chase to help it find a buyer, the people said.

Match declined to comment.

Bumble is best known for its dating app, which allows only women to initiate online conversations after a man and woman "match" by swiping right on each other's picture. The #metoo movement and growing attention to female empowerment against sexual harassment has made Bumble a particularly enticing asset to own right now, one of the people said.

The Bumble app has user growth of about 100 percent year over year, making it one of the fastest-growing dating properties, one of the people said. The app had more than 12.5 million users last year, according to Forbes.

In October, Bumble expanded its offerings with a business networking app called BumbleBizz. Like the main app, it will allow only women to initiate conversations.

Badoo is owned by Russian entrepreneur Andrey Andreev.

Bumble's founder, Whitney Wolfe Herd, was also a co-founder of popular dating app Tinder. She left the company in 2014, and later filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against it, which was reportedly settled for "just over" $1 million.

WATCH: Bumble CEO breaks downthe datingstart-up's newbusiness networking app

Badoo, the majority owner of the dating app Bumble, is seeking a sale that could value the company at $1.5 billion (1)

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Bumble's new Bizz redefining how we think about networking: CEO

Badoo, the majority owner of the dating app Bumble, is seeking a sale that could value the company at $1.5 billion (2024)

FAQs

Is Bumble and Badoo owned by the same company? ›

In April 2019, Bumble launched its own lifestyle magazine called Bumble Mag. In 2020, MagicLab was renamed Bumble as the parent company of both Bumble and Badoo. As of 2020, Bumble has over 100 million users worldwide.

Is Whitney Wolfe Herd a billionaire? ›

Her 18-month-old son was on her hip as she rang the Nasdaq bell. In 2021, Wolfe Herd became the world's youngest self-made female billionaire after taking Bumble public. Forbes estimated her net worth at approximately $1.5 billion.

Who is the owner of Badoo? ›

Russian entrepreneur Andrey Andreev has built five online dating sites and apps since 2004: Mamba, Badoo, Bumble, Chappy and Lumen.

What is the valuation of the Bumble app? ›

The Bumble app facilitates romantic relationships, friend searches, and even career matching in one platform. Bumble raised $2.2 billion from its IPO in February 2021, and traded on the first day at an $8.6 billion valuation.

Does anyone still use Badoo? ›

Badoo is one of the world's most popular online dating apps, having attracted 380 million active users across the globe.

Does Badoo still exist? ›

It operates in 190 countries and is available in 47 different languages, making it the world's most widely used dating network. The app is available on iOS, Android, and the web.

Has Priyanka Chopra invested in Bumble? ›

Herd is also the youngest female CEO to take a company public in the US. As Bumble debuted its IPO Thursday at $43 — actor Priyanka Chopra is an investor and US tennis star Serena Williams markets the app — Herd took to Twitter, saying, “Today is what happens when women make the first move.

How much is Whitney Bumble worth? ›

Bumble founder, Whitney Wolfe Herd, is one of America's most successful self-made women entrepreneurs. Her estimated net worth was US$740 million as of June 2022. She was part of Forbes 30 under 30 in the Hall of Fame category and Consumer Technology category in the same year.

Who is the youngest American self-made billionaire? ›

Austin Russell of Luminar Technologies Remains the Youngest Self-Made Billionaire.

Where is Badoo most popular? ›

Badoo.com's core audience is located in Brazil followed by United States, and Colombia.

What is the average age on Badoo? ›

badoo.com Audience Demographics

badoo.com's audience is 65.45% male and 34.55% female. The largest age group of visitors are 25 - 34 year olds (Desktop).

Can Badoo be trusted? ›

Badoo is a legitimate website. It is one of the most popular online dating sites today, with over 330 million users, and ways to verify identity. However, while the site itself is legit, not all of the users necessarily are. But there are precautions you can take to add to your safety while using Badoo.

How much debt does Bumble have? ›

Total debt on the balance sheet as of March 2023 : $0.62 B

According to Bumble's latest financial reports the company's total debt is $0.62 B. A company's total debt is the sum of all current and non-current debts.

Is Bumble making money? ›

Bumble App revenue grew 31.4% to $694.3 million, compared to $528.6 million. This includes an unfavorable impact of $20.9 million from foreign currency movements year over year.

How successful is Bumble? ›

Bumble has a 6.03% engagement rate on the app per user.

It shows that users are actively engaging with the app, which is a key indicator of the app's success.

Who is Bumble and Bumble owned by? ›

Bumble and bumble – The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.

Are Bumble and Tinder owned by the same company? ›

Bumble owns just three apps (Bumble, Badoo, and Fruitz), while Match owns Tinder and over a dozen others. The two companies have a complicated relationship. Bumble's founder, Whitney Wolfe Herd, was previously a co-founder at Tinder before being stripped of the title following an acrimonious split with the company.

Who is the parent company of Tinder Bumble? ›

Match Group is an American internet and technology company headquartered in Dallas, Texas. It owns and operates the largest global portfolio of popular online dating services including Tinder, Match.com, Meetic, OkCupid, Hinge, Plenty of Fish, OurTime, and other dating global brands.

What dating apps are owned by the same company? ›

A single company owns the majority of mainstream dating apps: Match Group. According to a January 2023 Business Overview, Match Group's largest brands are Tinder, Match, Meetic, Pairs, Plenty of Fish, OKCupid, Hinge, Azar, Chispa, BLK, The League, and Hakuna.

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