Bengaluru-based AI-powered dating startup Betterhalf.ai has raised around ₹3.7 crores ($500,000) in seed funding from a clutch of angel investors including Shailesh Rao, former managing director of Google India and Vinay Subramanian, former investment director at Flipkart.
Other angel investors that participated in the round include, FirstPenguin Capital’s Rehan A Khan, along with other senior leaders from Google, Uber and Amazon. The fresh funds will be used to build AI capabilities, while continuing to invest further in technology and talent.
Betterhalf.ai was founded by two Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)alumni Pawan Gupta and Rahul Namdev in 2016. The startup provides a platform that leverages artificial intelligence, along with predictive analysis to provide a six-dimensional profile analysis to help professionals find a compatible match.
It provides a combination of a targeted subset of matches with a quick turnaround time to find compatible partners. The platform provides verified matches with professionals working at companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon, LinkedIn, Adobe, and Accenture.
The startup also uses its AI-powered engine to help married couples find their compatibility level, to further enhance their experiences.
“The AI revolution is bringing better decisions in every industry, be it self-driving cars, e-commerce, music or watching videos online; and transforming the matchmaking space is something we are excited about,” said Pawan Gupta, Co-founder and CEO, Betterhalf.ai.
The startup claims to have raised around $750,000, including the latest investment. Other players competing with Betterhalf.ai, in the dating and matchmaking space in India include, Tinder, TrulyMadly, Woo, and Bumble, among others.
Among the more traditional matrimony platforms dominating the matrimony space in India include Matrimony.com, Jeevansathi.com, and Shaadi.com, among others. Last year in September, Matrimony.com raised ₹225.9 crores ahead of its IPO.
India is among the top countries to leverage artificial intelligence, which is reflected in the growing number of AI startups in the country. The push from the government towards the digitalisation of the economy and towards the adoption of transformational technologies has further provided a boost to the Indian AI industry.