Healing-First Dating App Upfront Confirms Launch for This Summer

A new dating app called Upfront is preparing to enter the market this summer with a mission to reshape how Black professionals connect online. Co-founded by Langston and Zora, the platform differentiates itself by centering emotional intelligence and cultural specificity over swiping or superficial algorithms.

Built in collaboration with licensed Black therapists, Upfront uses AI rooted in therapeutic frameworks to create matches based on users’ deeper emotional needs, rather than just hobbies or physical preferences. According to its developers, the app is designed to foster “healing-first” connections and long-term compatibility, an approach they say is lacking on mainstream platforms.

This launch comes at a time when studies continue to highlight racial disparities in digital dating. Research from 2024 showed that Black users often receive significantly fewer interactions on major apps like Tinder and OkCupid, suggesting that platform design may be reinforcing existing biases.

Upfront intends to counter that trend by integrating mental health tools, mentorship opportunities, and personalized relationship insights into its ecosystem. Its long-term goal is ambitious: to facilitate one million Black marriages while contributing to emotional and economic wellbeing in the community. The app’s primarily selling point is that it focuses on healing before connection, aiming at self-aware and marriage-minded black professionals.

“We didn’t just develop a proprietary algorithm, but a framework designed to get to the heart of individuals,” said Marcus Lee, the app’s Chief Product Officer.

With plans to generate $10 million in revenue over five years, Upfront positions itself not just as a dating app, but as a holistic space for relationship building, personal growth, and cultural affirmation. The company’s core message – “Real Love Starts When You’re Upfront With Who You Are” – is probably the clearest indication of the app’s overall purpose.