HowAboutWe
In short: HowAboutWe was a US dating site and app, founded by Aaron Schildkrout and Brian Schechter in Brooklyn, where members proposed a date idea instead of writing a long profile. IAC, then Match Group's parent, bought the singles service in 2014, and the original product later closed. It is cited as an early date-first dating model.
Key facts
| Type | Dating app |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Brooklyn, New York, United States |
| Founded | 2010 |
| Status | Closed. The original dating service no longer operates. |
| Website | howaboutwe.com |
| Launch | Launched in April 2010 and based in Dumbo, New York [HowAboutwe - Crunchbase Company Profile & Funding, April 2010] |
| Founders | Aaron Schildkrout and Brian Schechter [HowAboutWe gets acquired, in part, by media giant IAC] |
| Concept | Users suggest date ideas by finishing the phrase 'How about we...' and are matched on shared interests; apps on Android and iOS [HowAboutWe - Tracxn] |
| Acquisition | Acquired by IAC on 15 July 2014; the couples business was not included [HowAboutWe - Tracxn, 15 July 2014] |
| Acquisition scope | IAC bought the singles site and media brands but not the couples product [HowAboutWe gets acquired, in part, by media giant IAC] |
| Funding | About $22.3 million raised over four rounds (Tracxn); latest round was a Series B in September 2013 [HowAboutWe - Tracxn, 10 September 2013] |
| Headquarters | Brooklyn, New York, United States [HowAboutwe - Crunchbase Company Profile & Funding] |
| Status | Crunchbase lists operating status as closed; Dating Sites Reviews says the original service appears to have closed in 2017 and the site later redirected to Match.com. Another directory says 2016. [How About We Review - Dating Sites Reviews] |
| DII coverage | Named as a failed predecessor in a DII story on anti-algorithm dating apps launched in February 2025 [Dating Industry Insights] |
About HowAboutWe
HowAboutWe was an online dating service based in Dumbo, Brooklyn, New York. Crunchbase says it launched in April 2010. Its co-founders were Aaron Schildkrout and Brian Schechter. Members completed the phrase "How about we..." with a date they wanted to go on, so the date idea came first and the profile second. It offered a website and mobile apps for iOS and Android. Alongside the dating product, the company ran HowAboutWe for Couples, a date planning service, and later added a media arm and a couples messaging app called You&Me.
The company raised about $22.3 million across four funding rounds, according to Tracxn. Investors named by Crunchbase include RRE Ventures, ff Venture Capital, Khosla Ventures and Founder Collective. In January 2014 it bought Nerve.com and launched HowAboutWe Media. In July 2014 IAC acquired the singles dating service and the media brands, while the couples business stayed independent, as Technical.ly reported.
After the sale the original dating service faded. Sources differ on timing. Crunchbase lists the company as closed, one directory says the product closed by 2016, and Dating Sites Reviews says it appears to have closed in 2017, with the website later redirecting to Match.com. Online Personals Watch lists it among dating services that died. DII mentions HowAboutWe as a failed predecessor in its February 2025 piece on new anti-algorithm dating apps. We could not open that article, so this profile does not summarise its content beyond that role.
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Questions about HowAboutWe
What was HowAboutWe?
A US dating site and app where members proposed a date idea instead of relying on a long profile. It was based in Brooklyn and launched in 2010.
Who owned HowAboutWe?
IAC acquired the singles dating service and media brands in July 2014. The couples business stayed independent.
Is HowAboutWe still running?
No. Crunchbase lists it as closed. Sources differ on whether the original service shut in 2016 or 2017.
What is HowAboutWe?
HowAboutWe was a US dating site and app, founded by Aaron Schildkrout and Brian Schechter in Brooklyn, where members proposed a date idea instead of writing a long profile. IAC, then Match Group's parent, bought the singles service in 2014, and the original product later closed.
Where is HowAboutWe based?
HowAboutWe is based in Brooklyn, New York, United States.
When was HowAboutWe founded?
HowAboutWe was founded in 2010.
Also known as: How About We, HowAboutWe Dating.