The Inner Circle (dating site)

Inner Circle is a selective social networking dating app for young professionals who live in the same city.[2][3] Its user interface is similar to that of Facebook.[4][5] Inner Circle is owned by Circle Imperium B.V.,[6] with offices based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.[7] The app is specialised in getting users off their phones and out meeting people in the real world.[8]

Inner Circle
Type of site
Online dating service
Available inEnglish
OwnerCircle Imperium BV
URLwww.theinnercircle.co
Alexa rank163,126 (May 2016)[1]
CommercialYes
RegistrationYes
Launched2012
Current statusActive

History

Inner Circle was founded in 2012 by David Vermeulen[9], Serge Samusya [10] and Michael Krayenhoff.[11] The website was originally launched in Amsterdam [7] and is also available in Barcelona, London, Milan, Paris, Stockholm[12] and Berlin.[13] Inner Circle and Tinder changed the perception of online dating under young professionals in the Netherlands according to national newspaper de Volkskrant.[4]

In November 2018 the website had 1.3 Million members[14] and had 450,000 applicants on the waiting list in 2016.[15] In February 2015, Inner Circle was among the Netherlands' top-ten most visited dating websites.[16] The revenue model is a combination of subscriptions, events, and partnerships.[17] Inner Circle has no outside funding, and has been profitable since its inception.[18]

Overview

The network/app operates in a similar way to many dating sites: there are "like" functions, photo browsing, profile building, as well as ways to interact and chat. The app focuses on accountability to encourage respect and uses social network analysis for making connections.[19] The website also has features similar to Facebook. Users post plans to go out to bars and clubs; users traveling to London can ask for advice and meet-ups.[20] Members of Inner Circle get to invite five friends each, who are screened before approval.[21] Users can access the platform through a website, or an iOS or Android app.[22]

Inner Circle hosts offline events on a regular basis for users located in Amsterdam, London, Paris, Milan, Barcelona and Stockholm.[23][24][25]

Awards and nominations
  • Newcomer Website of the Year at the UK dating awards (2014, won)[26]
  • Best London Dating Event at the UK dating awards (2014, won)[26]
  • Best Dating Events Brand of 2015 at the UK dating awards (2015, won)[26]
  • Best Niche Dating Site 2016 at the Euro Dating Awards (2016, won)[27][28]
  • Online Dating Brand of the Year 2016 at the UK dating awards (2016, won)[29]
  • Most Disruptive Innovator 2017 at Deloitte Technology Fast 50 (2017, won)[30][31]
  • Winner of the Deloitte Technology Fast 50, with 3460% revenue growth (2018, won)[32][33]
  • Ranked in the FT1000 as one of the fastest growing companies in Europe by the Financial Times (2020, #152)[34]

References
  1. "TheInnerCircle.co Site Info". Alexa Internet. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  2. Rubin, Gareth "The year of dating selectively: finding love in 2016 means keeping out undesirables" The Observer 3 January 2016.
  3. Pelikaan, Lizette "Steeds meer superkoppels" Nederlandse Omroep Stichting Nieuwsuur
  4. Kraak, Haro, "Internetdaten is ook onder jongeren sociaal geaccepteerd geraakt", de Volkskrant 21 december 2013.
  5. Shead, Sam "Inner Circle: Behind the scenes at a dating app's exclusive London polo party" TechWorld 13 August 2015.
  6. "Duedil: Circle Imperium B.V." Duedil 15 September 2016.
  7. van Groningen, Elco "The Next Global Tech Hotspot? Amsterdam Stakes Its Claim" Bloomberg 23 May 2016.
  8. Dixon, Louise "Online daters looking for more than endless swiping" Associated Press, 21 February 2020
  9. C van Berkel, "De mens achter theinnercircle.co", Elsevier 20 May 2013, p. 82.
  10. Smith, Rebecca "Meet the entrepreneur playing Cupid" Management Today 11 March 2016.
  11. Hackett, Geraldine "Get your startup off the ground by studying a master's" The Guardian 12 June 2015.
  12. McCrum, Kirstie "Exclusive dating app launched for ambitious and elite professionals - would you pass the criteria?" Mirror 2 June 2015.
  13. Shead, Sam "An elite dating app is trying its luck in edgy Berlin" Business Insider 10 August 2016.
  14. Noonan, Annie May "Building a global business" Real Business 22 November 2018.
  15. Mann, Olly "The Tinder illuminati – Tech weekly podcast" The Guardian 10 March 2016.
  16. Klaassen, Eric "Top Datingsites" Dating Insider 21 February 2015.
  17. "Liefdewerk Duur Papier", Quote, 362 (December 2014), p. 90-97.
  18. Prosser, David "Small Business Person of The Week: Singles on our site are able to meet like-minded people" The Independent 15 February 2016
  19. Murcoch, Cassie "No ghosts allowed: An elite dating app makes you mind your manners" Mashable 19 May 2017.
  20. Barry, Joshua "We checked out the London dating app that is restricted to successful attractive people only" Business Insider 24 March 2015.
  21. Benmiloud, Hadjar "Piloot (32) zoekt vrouw met status" Metro International 3 april 2013.
  22. Masters, Dave "Appy Valentine's weekend - 5 downloads to get you in the mood for love" Mirror, 12 February 2016
  23. M. Straathof, "We maken een kringetje van jongens en van meisjes", De Parool 16 March 2013, p. 24-27.
  24. Hancock, Lucy "Looking for Love with London's Horny Poshos at an Elite Dating Night" VICE 19 June 2015.
  25. Alderton, Dolly "It's a date" Sunday Times, 5 April 2015
  26. "Winners". UK Dating Awards. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
  27. "Winners". Euro Dating Awards. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  28. Smit, Maxime "Joods daten? Daten voor baardliefhebbers? Bestaat." Het Parool, 13 May 2016
  29. "Winners". UK Dating Awards. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  30. "Winners". Deloitte. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  31. Redactie, Emerce "SendCloud snelst groeiende technologiebedrijf van Nederland" Emerce, 13 Oct 2017
  32. Deloitte "Ranking Technology fast 50 2018" Deloitte Fast 50
  33. Janssen, Remco "Move over Tinder, the Netherlands’ hottest dating app just won Deloitte Technology Fast 50" Silicon Canals, 12 Oct 2018
  34. Kelly, Maxine "FT 1000: the fourth annual list of Europe’s fastest-growing companies" Financial Times, 02 March 2020

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