Ditto is a dating app for college students that replaces swiping with an AI matchmaker. Founded by Allen Wang and Eric Liu after dropping out of UC Berkeley, Ditto targets Gen Z users tired of endless swiping and small talk on apps like Tinder and Hinge. Instead of a traditional interface, students sign up by texting an iMessage number with a code. An AI chatbot named Ditto walks them through onboarding, collecting biographical info and digging into personality, interests, and dating preferences. Users can even upload photos of celebrity crushes to help the AI understand their type.

Ditto‘s algorithm matches people not on surface-level hobbies but on what those hobbies reveal about their deeper character. As Wang explains, a rock climber and a skateboarder may share adventurousness even if their interests differ. The company claims that chemistry is predictable with the right signals. Every Wednesday at 7 PM, Ditto messages users with a match, a time, and a location. Users simply show up for the date and later provide feedback, which refines the AI’s understanding for future matches.

Ditto has 150,000 signups, and Wang says about 20% of matched users actually go on a date. The app creates a collage-like graphic to introduce matches and explain why they fit. Currently, Ditto is only available at a few dozen colleges, so the .edu email requirement provides a built-in safety vetting. The company plans to expand to more schools and eventually beyond college, while scaling safely. It has raised $9.2 million in seed funding from investors including Gradient, Peak XV, and Scribble. Duolingo co-founder Severin Hacker also reached out. Ditto‘s marketing is irreverent — videos of robot stunts and a “Chief Yacht Officer” job listing — but Wang emphasizes that viral moments get attention; a good first date is what makes users stay. Ditto is based in San Francisco with 12 full-time employees.