Pheramor
In short: Pheramor was a Houston-based dating app that matched users partly on a cheek-swab DNA test, sequencing 11 immune-system genes, alongside social media interests. Co-founded by geneticist Brittany Barreto, it reached all US states in 2018 but closed in 2019 after Apple changed its App Store rules. DII cites it as an earlier, unproven attempt at science-based matching.
Key facts
| Type | DNA-based dating app (defunct) |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Houston, United States |
| Status | Closed. The founder says the company was shut in June 2019 after Apple removed the app from its store. |
| Type | DNA-based dating app that matched users using a cheek swab and social media data [STAT, 2018] |
| Headquarters | Houston, Texas, United States [CultureMap Houston, 2018] |
| Matching method | Sequenced 11 immune-system genes (HLA) and combined the DNA score with a social compatibility score [CultureMap Houston, 28 November 2018] |
| Founders | Brittany Barreto (CEO) and Bin Huang (CTO); Asma Mirza was also named as a co-founder in 2018 coverage [TMC News, February 2019] |
| Nationwide launch | Opened to all US states, with the app officially launched in September 2018 [TMC News, September 2018] |
| Funding and team | Raised $1.3 million and had about 10 employees at its peak, working from a WeWork in Houston [InnovationMap, 2019] |
| Closure | Apple pulled the app from its store after a rule change on DNA collection by dating apps; Barreto says she closed the company in June 2019 [Days for Girls podcast, Episode 018 with Dr Brittany Barreto, June 2019] |
| DII coverage | DII cites Pheramor's 2018 DNA matching claim as a past attempt at biometric matching that did not gain traction or publish evidence [Dating Industry Insights, 13 November 2024] |
About Pheramor
Pheramor was a dating app based in Houston, Texas, that combined genetic testing with social media data to score compatibility between users. Users ordered a kit, swabbed their cheeks and posted the sample back. The company said it sequenced 11 genes of the immune system, known as HLA genes, and compared them with other members. Press reports describe a score from 0 to 100 per cent, built from the DNA comparison and a social score drawn from a questionnaire or the user's social media accounts. Several outside experts quoted in the press questioned the science behind genetic matching.
The company was led by Brittany Barreto, a genetics PhD from Baylor College of Medicine, who was CEO and co-founder. Bin Huang was co-founder and chief technology officer, and early coverage also named Asma Mirza as a co-founder. The app launched in Houston in early 2018 and was opened to the whole United States in September 2018. InnovationMap reported that the company raised $1.3 million and employed about 10 people at its peak.
According to Barreto, Apple changed its App Store rules in March 2019 so that dating apps could not collect DNA samples, and Pheramor was pulled from the store. A planned $2.2 million round did not complete. A couples' compatibility product, WeHaveChemistry, was tried, but Barreto says she closed Pheramor in June 2019. Dating Industry Insights has cited Pheramor as an earlier biometric matching idea that did not achieve lasting traction.
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Questions about Pheramor
What was Pheramor?
A Houston-based dating app that used a cheek-swab DNA test, together with social media data, to give users compatibility scores.
Is Pheramor still operating?
No. Founder Brittany Barreto says Apple's App Store rule change on DNA collection led to the app's removal and that she closed the company in June 2019.
Who founded Pheramor?
Brittany Barreto was CEO and co-founder, with Bin Huang as co-founder and chief technology officer. Early 2018 coverage also named Asma Mirza as a co-founder.
What does Pheramor do?
Pheramor was a Houston-based dating app that matched users partly on a cheek-swab DNA test, sequencing 11 immune-system genes, alongside social media interests. Co-founded by geneticist Brittany Barreto, it reached all US states in 2018 but closed in 2019 after Apple changed its App Store rules.
Where is Pheramor based?
Pheramor is based in Houston, United States.
Also known as: Pheramor app.
Sources
- STAT: A new app wants you to swab your cheek to match with a genetically compatible date
- CultureMap Houston: New Houston-based dating app finds your perfect match via DNA
- TMC News: Dating app taps genetics and social media
- InnovationMap: Promising Houston-born DNA dating startup shuts down
- Days for Girls podcast, Episode 018 with Dr Brittany Barreto
- DII: Couple.com's AI Compatibility Tool: Innovation or Marketing Gimmick?