No dating befor 17

As for venture-backed companies, one of the earlier-funded startups in the online matchmaking space, e Harmony, did score an exit last fall with an acquisition by German media company Pro Sieben Sat.1 Media SE.

But terms weren’t disclosed, making it difficult to gauge returns.

Perhaps the thought of all those sweet young couples slow dancing under paper streamers coaxes a nostalgic sigh or two. If you’re the parent of a child who has recently started middle school, get ready for a decidedly new dating scene.

Yes, the prom as we knew it still exists, but even its drama pales in comparison to today’s boy-girl relationship issues.

In the chart below, we look at global venture investment in dating-focused startups over the past five years.

The general finding is that round counts fluctuate moderately year-to-year, while investment totals fluctuate heavily. is home to the majority of funded startups in the Crunchbase dating category, the bulk of investment has gone to China.

Another apparent success story is Ok Cupid, which sold to in 2011 for million.When it comes to startups, however, it appears they’re still mostly swiping left.s prom season approaches, it’s easy to conjure romantic thoughts of dating rituals we experienced long ago.Some 17 years ago, when internet dating was popular but still kind of embarrassing to talk about, I interviewed an author who was particularly bullish on the practice.Millions of people, he said, have found gratifying relationships online.