Boardroom – South African Dating App For Professionals
Boardroom is a new South African dating app that is focused creating meaningful relationships for people with similar ambitions. The platform requires users to verify against their LinkedIn profile, and currently operates an invite-only policy.
Created by Wisani Shilumani and Serisha Barrat, the new startup isn’t catering for the ‘hookup culture’, but rather for professionals looking for something long-term.
In an interview with TechCabal, Barrat explained that Boardroom looks to “enable our users to find a long-term partner who they can share a life with for more than just one night”. She recognises that “we all have busy careers and shrinking social circles”, and the platform is looking to help build meaningful connections.
Users are required to verify their profiles using their LinkedIn, with the dating platform looking at whether the photos and information between the two profiles match up. After passing all the necessary verifications, users will be matched with individuals “along [their] stated profession and interests”, Barrat explains.
TechCabal reports that Boardroom ‘went viral’ after Shilumani shared a post on X to raise awareness about the platform, receiving over 5 million views so far.
Barrat shared that the platform is currently struggling with a “surge” in sign-ups, putting increased pressure on its verification processes. Keeping a high-quality user base while seeing a significant increase in new users has proven to be a challenge, she said.
Looking ahead, Boardroom will be launching in major cities across South Africa, and then expanding into London and the USA in 2024. Barrat highlights that business districts like London’s Canary Wharf align well with the platform’s target demographic.
