Joel Simkhai

Joel Simkhai
Joel Simkhai at TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2012
Simkhai at TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2012
Born1976 (age 47–48)
Tel Aviv, Israel
Alma materTufts University
Known forFounder and former CEO of Grindr and Blendr

Joel Simkhai (Hebrew: יואל שמחאי; born c. 1976[1][2]) is an Israeli-American tech entrepreneur. He is the founder and former CEO of geosocial networking and dating apps Grindr[3] and Blendr.[4] His original goal in starting Grindr was for people with similar interests to find new friends nearby.[5]

In 2022, he launched a new dating app called Motto.[6]

Early life and education

Joel Simkhai was born in Tel Aviv, Israel. His mother was a jeweler, and his father was a diamond dealer. When Simkhai was three years old, his family moved to New York City.[7] While in high school, he says he dated women; he remarked that he was not being dishonest about his sexuality, but that his "coming out of the closet was a process".[7] He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations & Economics from Tufts University in May 1998.[citation needed] After starting college, he came out to his parents and friends. He has two brothers, who are also gay.[1] Simkhai owns several properties, primarily residing in New York.[8] In 2021, Dave Keuning bought a mansion that Simkhai owned in Outpost Estates.[9]

Business career

After college, Simkhai worked in mergers and acquisitions.[1] He conceived the idea of the app to answer the need of knowing "who else around you is also gay".[7] While he started with little money or expertise,[10] and never expected Grindr to become international,[7] he became a multimillionaire CEO of an app with millions of users worldwide.[3] In 2014, Simkhai demonstrated that he was a user of his own app. He ceased including in his profile information regarding his role behind Grindr [7] In January 2018, he left Grindr after the company was sold to the Chinese gaming company Beijing Kunlun Tech.[11][12]

Simkhai is a charter member of the Young Presidents' Organization.[3]

In 2022, Simkhai launched a mobile app called MOTTO for the gay and queer community. He labeled it as an attempt to "course correct" away from the negative aspects of already-existing gay dating apps.[13] The company is based in New York City.[14] According to its website, the app shut down in September 2024.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b c Philip Utz (August 25, 2016). "An encounter with Joel Simkhai, founder of Grindr". Numéro. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  2. ^ Bessette, Chanelle (August 12, 2014). "10 Questions: Joel Simkhai, founder and CEO, Grindr". Fortune. Archived from the original on July 2, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c Trebay, Guy (December 12, 2014). "The Sex Education of Grindr's Joel Simkhai". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 20, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  4. ^ Medina, Mekahlo (September 8, 2011). "A New Social Blendr". NBC Los Angeles. Archived from the original on July 1, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  5. ^ O'Dell, J. (March 14, 2012). "Grindr creator on his new app, lesbian gaydar, & more at SXSW [video]". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on October 28, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  6. ^ KC Ifeanyi (November 1, 2022). "Can the founder of Grindr make a better Grindr?". Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d e Doron Halutz (June 28, 2016). "Israeli Founder of Grindr Talks About Growing Up Gay and Coming Out to His Family". Haaretz. Archived from the original on June 25, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  8. ^ Staff, TRD (March 3, 2021). "Grindr founder snaps up Gramercy penthouse listed at $29.5M". therealdeal.com. Archived from the original on October 22, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  9. ^ Bowman, Wendy (September 21, 2021). "The Killers' Dave Keuning Buys Grindr Founder's $9.6 Million Outpost Estates Mansion". yahoo! life. Archived from the original on September 21, 2021. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  10. ^ Smiley, Minda (May 25, 2016). "Grindr CEO Joel Simkhai explains how he turned his idea for the app into a reality". thedrum.com. Archived from the original on July 3, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  11. ^ Alejandra Reyes-Velarde (January 8, 2018). "Chinese gaming company buys remaining stake of Grindr". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  12. ^ David, Mark (August 25, 2020). "Grindr's Joel Simkhai Taps Out of Mansion in the Hills". finance.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
  13. ^ Schermele, Zachary (November 16, 2022). "Over a decade after founding Grindr, Joel Simkhai wants a do-over". NBC News.
  14. ^ Schermele, Zachary (November 16, 2022). "Over a decade after founding Grindr, Joel Simkhai wants a do-over". NBC. Archived from the original on November 16, 2022. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  15. ^ "MOTTO". findmotto.com. Retrieved October 24, 2024.