EIGHT, a Lisbon-based startup, is elevating a €3 million Seed spherical to scale its video-first courting app throughout 4 European markets over the subsequent 24 months.
The startup knowledgeable EU-Startups that it has already raised over €256.6k ($300k), with half coming from a VC and the remainder from angel traders.
“Relationship apps are damaged. Individuals are bored with swiping endlessly and having conversations that go nowhere. EIGHT brings again what courting must be about: actual human connection. We give folks 8 minutes of face-to-face time with somebody new each night, and the outcomes communicate for themselves. Our retention numbers show that once you construct a product that really delivers on its promise, folks come again. We at the moment are able to deliver this expertise to the remainder of Europe,” Miguel Moreira da Cruz, CEO and co-founder, EIGHT.
Based in 2025 by Miguel Moreira da Cruz and Afonso Simão, EIGHT is a video-focused courting app that replaces infinite swiping and messaging with actual face-to-face interplay. Each night from 20h to 21h, verified customers are matched for reside 8-minute video dates.
The corporate states that every profile is verified by a human through a 30-second introductory video, stopping pretend profiles. Moreover, the app consists of an AI Relationship Coach to help customers in enhancing their abilities to find and creating romantic relationships. The app is out there on iOS and Android.
EIGHT experiences having 15,180 registered customers with minimal advertising and marketing expenditure. Based on the corporate, its Day 1 retention charge stands at 81%, in contrast with an trade benchmark of 25% to 35%, and a 43% D7 retention, surpassing the 12 to fifteen% benchmark. The trial-to-paid conversion charge stands at 42%, with an Common Income Per Person (ARPU) of €13.30.
Over 491 movies have been accomplished on the platform. Income has reached €6,000 earlier than the corporate deliberately paused monetisation to concentrate on progress. Moreover, the corporate witnesses a 43% month-over-month enhance in customers.
With the brand new funding, the corporate intends to increase into 4 European markets: Portugal (now reside), the UK/London (coming subsequent), Spain, and a fourth market.
EIGHT talked about that the funding shall be allotted throughout advertising and marketing (31%), product growth (26%), group enlargement (15%), infrastructure (12%), information (6%), and a ten% contingency buffer. The corporate additionally not too long ago integrated within the UK underneath the identify Eight Relationship Ltd.
