Boardroom

What Boardroom does

Boardroom (Pty) Ltd is a Cape Town-headquartered, privately held South African company that operates a mobile dating application targeting working professionals. Founded in 2023, the company differentiates by requiring every user to authenticate via LinkedIn during onboarding, using that data solely to verify professional status rather than displaying it on profiles. The core product is a freemium iOS and Android app that combines swipe-based matching with AI-driven compatibility scoring, a "My League" generative-AI feature that predicts likely partner profiles from LinkedIn data, and supplementary engagement tools (blog, love language quiz, relationship polls). The technology stack is built on Firebase with an AI-powered matching layer that analyzes user behavior including over 8 million swipes cross-referenced against professional attributes.

The company monetizes through in-app premium subscriptions and feature purchases processed via Apple App Store and Google Play Store, a R299.99 Boardroom Gold gift card product, and an affiliate program that pays R50 per verified sign-up plus 25% commission on referred users' first purchases. Distribution is primarily self-serve via app stores with an affiliate-driven referral layer. The customer base is a long-tail of individual consumers in South Africa and globally (via app stores), with no enterprise or B2B contracts. Boardroom is bootstrapped, with no disclosed institutional funding, and operates with a 1-10 person team led by co-founder Wisani Shilumani. Since launch the company reports facilitating over 100,000 matches and has earned media coverage in News24, SABC, Woman&Home, TechCabal, and 702 Talk Radio.

Name

Boardroom

Legal name

Boardroom (Pty) Ltd

Website

https://heyboardroom.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Boardroom is a Cape Town-founded mobile dating app launched in 2023 that requires LinkedIn verification for all users, targeting busy professionals seeking meaningful relationships through AI-driven matching, with freemium monetization via in-app purchases and gift cards.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Dating Application

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Membership Clubs (Category-Focused) (CRAEADAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Premium/Upmarket Membership Clubs (CRAEADAG)

Keywords

• Professional dating app
• Mobile matchmaking platform
• LinkedIn verified dating
• Online dating application
• Relationship matchmaking service

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Freemium with Premium Upsells: Core app functionality is free including profile creation, browsing matches, and starting conversations. Premium features are offered as in-app purchases for users wanting enhanced experience.
2. Gift Cards: Boardroom Gold membership gift cards sold at R299.99. Recipients receive premium membership benefits to help them find meaningful connections with professionals.
3. In-App Purchases: Purchases processed through Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Subscriptions and premium features are billed through these platforms with standard refund policies applying.
4. Affiliate Referrals: Affiliate program earning R50 per verified user sign-up plus 25% commission on referred users' first in-app purchase. No maximum referral limits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Boardroom operates a mobile dating application that connects verified professionals through mandatory LinkedIn profile authentication. The core service is a freemium dating app available on iOS and Android, using smart matching algorithms and AI compatibility analysis to surface compatible professionals for meaningful long-term relationships. Premium features are offered through in-app purchases, and Boardroom Gold membership can also be granted via R299.99 gift cards sold directly through the website.

Product overview

Boardroom is a single dating application designed exclusively for professionals, combining a mobile dating app with supplementary content and engagement features. The core Boardroom Dating App uses LinkedIn verification to authenticate users and employs matching algorithms to connect professionals. The product ecosystem includes a Blog for dating insights, a Love Language Quiz for personality assessment, the My League AI feature for match prediction, Relationship Polls for community engagement, and Gift Cards as a premium gifting option. An Affiliate Program enables users to earn commission by referring new members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Boardroom Dating App Mobile dating application for busy professionals that requires LinkedIn profile verification during sign-up and uses smart matching algorithms to surface compatible verified professionals for meaningful long-term relationships. Free core functionality is available with premium features offered as in-app purchases.
• Boardroom Gold Gift Card One-time gift card priced at R299.99 that grants the recipient Boardroom Gold premium membership benefits, available for occasions such as Birthday, Breakup, Graduation, New Job, Self-Care, and General.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100,000+ successful matches between professionals
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability7 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LinkedIncoreTechnology or IntegrationLinkedIn integration is fundamental to Boardroom's value proposition. Users must connect their LinkedIn profile during sign-up for professional verification. Boardroom receives user name, profile picture, email address, and headline from LinkedIn. LinkedIn data is used solely for identity verification and is never displayed on the Boardroom platform or shared with other users.
• Firebase (Google)coreTechnology or IntegrationFirebase provides backend infrastructure services for the Boardroom application including authentication, database, and analytics functionality.
• Apple App StorecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApple processes all in-app purchases and subscriptions for iOS users. Apple App Store guidelines and refund policies govern transactions. Boardroom app listed at apps.apple.com.
• Google Play StorecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGoogle processes all in-app purchases and subscriptions for Android users. Google Play refund policies apply to transactions.
• SAICA (South African Institute of Chartered Accountants)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional board consulted to verify professional status of members as part of Boardroom's commitment to maintaining a credible verified professional community.
• HPCSA (Health Professions Council of South Africa)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional board consulted to verify professional status of healthcare practitioners as part of Boardroom's verification process for medical professionals.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Thursday: App limited to Thursdays to encourage real-world dates, marketed to busy professionals. Targets a similar 'time-poor, quality-focused' user segment as Boardroom.
• The League: Invitation-based dating app that screens for professional and educational credentials — the closest direct analog to Boardroom's LinkedIn-verified positioning, albeit with a US-centric user base.
• Coffee Meets Bagel: Relationship-focused dating app marketed at professionals, particularly women. Shares Boardroom's anti-hookup, slow-dating value proposition.
• Hinge: Positioned as 'designed to be deleted' and marketed toward professionals and relationship-seekers. Closest direct competitor to Boardroom's meaningful-relationship-for-professionals thesis, with much greater scale and a global brand.
• Bumble: One of the largest dating apps globally, with Bumble Date targeted at professional women and serious daters. Competes head-on with Boardroom for the same professional, relationship-oriented user.
• Inner Circle: Selective dating app for ambitious young professionals with curated membership and global city presence. Competes in the same verified-professional niche as Boardroom.

Broad incumbents

• Match Group: Parent of Tinder, Hinge, Match.com, and other dating brands with massive global distribution and marketing budgets. Sets competitive baseline and category norms that Boardroom must differentiate against.
• Bumble Inc. Public parent of Bumble, Badoo, and Bumble For Friends, with significant brand spend and a stated focus on women and professional daters. Major competitive threat to Boardroom's positioning.
• Hinge (Match Group): Within Match Group's portfolio, Hinge is the most direct competitor — it has the scale and brand to add LinkedIn-style verification features rapidly, threatening Boardroom's core differentiator.

Emerging players

• Tantan: One of the largest dating apps in Asia, with a swipe-based product for younger professionals. Less direct overlap with Boardroom's 'verified professional' angle but competes for the same user mindset in emerging markets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/boardroomapp
• Instagraminstagram.com/boardroomapp
• TikToktiktok.com/@heyboardroom
• Facebookfacebook.com/boardroomapp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Boardroom