Launch · Commerce & Consumer Brands

Schmooze launches AI voice matchmaker Riya

By Startup Enthusiast · 15 April 2026

What they do

Schmooze is a meme-based dating app using personality-first discovery through humor

The company launched 'Riya', an AI voice matchmaker with a phased rollout to users

Riya users show 2x higher retention than the platform average, with some calls lasting 40-50 minutes

Schmooze has launched Riya, its new AI voice matchmaker feature via a phased rollout.
The app uses a proprietary end-to-end voice AI stack and LLM fine-tuned on internal data.
It avoids third-party models like OpenAI or Claude for its core technology infrastructure.
Users can interact with Riya to find matches based on voice conversations rather than text.
Over 300,000 users have already interacted with the new voice feature during testing.
Riya users demonstrate 2x higher retention compared to the average user on the platform.
Some voice sessions with Riya last between 40 to 50 minutes per interaction.
The launch adds to existing features like People Finder and an AI dating coach.

India's dating market is projected to reach $1.42 billion by 2030 from $788 million in 2024.
The country is expected to become the world's second largest dating market by 2027.
Schmooze claims a 3:1 male-to-female ratio, which it says is three times better than mainstream apps.
The app competes against global giants like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge in the Indian market.
Domestic rival Aisle also operates in this growing sector of digital romance services.

Schmooze operates as a meme-based dating and networking app focused on personality discovery.
It uses humor and vibes for personality-first discovery instead of traditional photo swiping.
The platform has accumulated over 3.5 billion meme swipes since its inception.
Total active users on the platform exceed 5 million across various demographics.
Features include People Finder for searching specific partner traits via AI text search.
An AI dating coach provides conversation starters and icebreakers for users.
The app offers customized date recommendations based on user preferences and interactions.
It relies entirely on its own fine-tuned LLM trained on internal dating data.
The business model leverages high engagement metrics to attract advertisers and partners.

The company will continue the phased rollout of the Riya feature to more users.
Expansion plans depend on maintaining high retention rates observed in early adoption.