Subject category:
Entrepreneurship
Published by:
Amity Research Centers
Length: 16 pages
Data source: Published sources
Abstract
Whitney Wolfe Herd (Herd), the co-founder of Bumble, became the youngest woman ever to take a company public. Considered a top female CEO in tech, Herd created one of the largest dating apps in the world 'out of the ashes of her own humiliation'. With Bumble, she changed the 'tenor of dating dynamics' by letting women make the first move. In 2021, Tinder dominated the online dating world while Bumble was the second most popular app. This innovator app which allowed only female users to initiate chatting was designed to curb unwanted advances and thus make the digital dating world more women-friendly. This business model earned Herd the reputation of a rare tech titan who saw her company as a tool for shaping how people behaved online as well as offline. Would Herd realise her ambition of making Bumble another Walt Disney, a company she admired for its ability to create the perfect world? Would Bumble's popularity continue to grow as the world emerged from the pandemic related restrictions?
Teaching and learning
This item is suitable for undergraduate, postgraduate and executive education courses.Time period
The events covered by this case took place in 2021.Geographical setting
Region:
Americas
Country:
United States
Featured company
Bumble Inc
Employees:
501-1000
Turnover:
USD 489 million (2019)
Type:
Public company
Industry:
Online dating app; Social media company
Featured protagonist
- Whitney Wolfe Herd (female), Co-founder and CEO
About
Abstract
Whitney Wolfe Herd (Herd), the co-founder of Bumble, became the youngest woman ever to take a company public. Considered a top female CEO in tech, Herd created one of the largest dating apps in the world 'out of the ashes of her own humiliation'. With Bumble, she changed the 'tenor of dating dynamics' by letting women make the first move. In 2021, Tinder dominated the online dating world while Bumble was the second most popular app. This innovator app which allowed only female users to initiate chatting was designed to curb unwanted advances and thus make the digital dating world more women-friendly. This business model earned Herd the reputation of a rare tech titan who saw her company as a tool for shaping how people behaved online as well as offline. Would Herd realise her ambition of making Bumble another Walt Disney, a company she admired for its ability to create the perfect world? Would Bumble's popularity continue to grow as the world emerged from the pandemic related restrictions?
Teaching and learning
This item is suitable for undergraduate, postgraduate and executive education courses.Settings
Time period
The events covered by this case took place in 2021.Geographical setting
Region:
Americas
Country:
United States
Featured company
Bumble Inc
Employees:
501-1000
Turnover:
USD 489 million (2019)
Type:
Public company
Industry:
Online dating app; Social media company
Featured protagonist
- Whitney Wolfe Herd (female), Co-founder and CEO