Israeli Entrepreneur Launches AI-Powered Dating App Tandu

Eliana Barbel, the entrepreneur behind the now-defunct dating app 'Eli the Bot', has launched a new dating startup called Tandu. Partnering with Asher Barak, Tandu aims to find love for users through an AI matchmaker, eliminating the need for endless profile scrolling and swiping.

Barbel explained that her previous venture, Eli the Bot, which launched in April 2022 and evolved from WhatsApp to a standalone app, closed on December 31, 2024. She attributed its closure to a limited pool of potential matches within social circles and a failure to achieve profitability before running out of raised funds. Following Eli the Bot's closure, Barbel joined Rakuten Viber, where she led the development of Viber Dating.

Tandu operates differently from existing dating apps. Instead of swiping, each user interacts with a personal AI matchmaker, similar to conversing with ChatGPT. This AI learns about the user through conversations, preferences, and dating experiences, and then represents them to matchmakers of other users. The AI can also provide feedback on user photos if requested. When the AI matchmakers identify a potential match, they propose it to their respective users. If both users are interested, the connection is then between them, with the matchmakers offering guidance on compatibility.

Barak, who previously led development teams at Meta, Amazon, and Google, joined Barbel to build Tandu, aiming to create technology that fosters genuine connections rather than superficial ones. The startup is currently bootstrapped, with plans to invest initial capital and potentially introduce paid features later, learning from the mistake of delaying monetization with Eli the Bot. Tandu is launching its waitlist today and expects thousands of users in the initial days, with tens of thousands within months. Barbel emphasized that the AI's approach is designed to be supportive and facilitate real-world interactions, not to replace them, and that the service will initially focus on the Israeli market before considering global expansion due to cultural nuances in matchmaking.