A team of former Tinder employees have launched a new professional networking app — Ripple, in a bid to create ripples in a market dominated by LinkedIn.
Called Ripple (not the cryptocurrency), the mobile application was launched by a team of ex-Tinder employees, including former CTO Ryan Ogle.
The iOS and Android app was backed by IAC’s Match Group, which owns Tinder, for an undisclosed sum — there are no other investors, apart from the founders, reports TechCrunch.
"Professional networking is pretty terrible today," wrote Ogle on Ripple's news blog. "That was our consensus when we started reflecting on our own experiences with the networks out there today. Interfaces packed with ads, unwanted mail from recruiters and salespeople, and a lack of community.”
"It’s a shame; like most people, we want to build and leverage our professional network, but we just couldn’t perform the tasks we wanted using the tools available. They’re hard to use, hard to find, or hidden behind a paywall. They simply missed the mark."
"We set out on a mission to create a true professional network ... One that put users (not recruiters and salesmen) first."
On Ripple, users build a digital resume and select their industry and skills, before the app calculates the potential connections. But unlike the Microsoft-owned networking site — LinkedIn, Ripple allows you to swipe a request a connection, like Tinder. Also users can join and create groups and event within the app.
The app also offers a feature called Face Connect that uses facial recognition to connect a photo a user has taken of someone they have met with their Ripple profile. The Nearby feature allows users to find other users around. Ripple also has a news feed integrated with Twitter and Medium.
