Asher Allen
In short: Asher Allen is a co-founder of Known, a San Francisco dating app that uses a voice conversation with an AI matchmaker to introduce each user to one curated match. He founded the company with Celeste Amadon after both left Stanford University. Known reported $9.7 million in funding, and it matters to the industry as an early voice-led matchmaking service built around in-person dates.
Key facts
| Role | Co-founder |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Known |
| Role | Co-founder of Known, with Celeste Amadon [TechCrunch, 19 December 2025] |
| Education | Left Stanford University to build Known; studied product design at Stanford [KTVU, 2026] |
| Previous role | Worked on product at Phia, an AI-powered online shopping app [TechCrunch, 19 December 2025] |
| Funding | Known raised $9.7 million from investors including Forerunner and NFX, with Pear VC and Coelius Capital also backing it [TechCrunch, 19 December 2025] |
| Launch | Known launched in San Francisco in February 2026 [KTVU, 2026] |
| Fact | Known began as an AI tool for booking restaurants for dates before moving to voice-led matchmaking [Global Dating Insights, 6 January 2026] |
Biography
Asher Allen is a co-founder of Known, a dating app based in San Francisco. He founded it with Celeste Amadon, and both left Stanford University to build the company. TechCrunch reported that Allen previously worked on product at Phia, an AI-powered online shopping app. Local news reported that he studied product design at Stanford.
Known began as an idea for a tool that used AI to book restaurants for dates, before the founders moved to the wider idea of getting people to meet in person. The app replaces written profiles with a voice conversation with an AI matchmaker, then introduces each user to one curated match. KTVU reported that joining is free and that users pay a $15 fee when they commit to a match. Known launched in the San Francisco Bay Area in February 2026.
In December 2025 TechCrunch reported that Known had raised $9.7 million from investors including Forerunner and NFX, with Pear VC and Coelius Capital also backing the company. It was Forerunner's first investment in a dating app. Dating Industry Insights has covered Known as part of a trend towards curated, AI-assisted matchmaking. Later local coverage put total funding at more than $10 million, so the reported funding figure differs between sources.
Career
- Product (role title not stated), Phia
- Co-founder, Known
Also mentioned in
Questions about Asher Allen
Who is Asher Allen?
Asher Allen is a co-founder of Known, a San Francisco dating app, alongside Celeste Amadon. He previously worked on product at the shopping app Phia.
What is Known?
Known is a San Francisco dating app that uses a voice conversation with an AI matchmaker and then introduces users to one curated match. It launched in February 2026.
How much has Known raised?
TechCrunch reported $9.7 million from investors including Forerunner and NFX. Later local coverage said more than $10 million.
What is Asher Allen's current role?
Asher Allen is Co-founder at Known.