We, Shahzad Younas, create muzmatch as an online site over several years before (2011) as a side project whilst I was however operating at Morgan Stanley to greatly help my neighborhood. Popular service just failed to cater to the requirements of Muslims after a life lover maybe not everyday matchmaking.

2011 – The muzmatch webpages had been rather revolutionary at that time. No month-to-month charges, and ended up being completely PAYG – pay 50p to view photos, A?1 to talk to people. Existing selection happened to be dreadful.

We dispersed the term at all possible, standing up outside of mosques after prayers offering leaflets and putting small cards on vehicles windshields in Muslim locations, including just getting typically annoying

The website grew, with plenty utilizing it, and also a few , smartphones had been removing and I realized APPLICATIONS are the future, perhaps not web pages. muzmatch must be an app. It just needed to be!

I stop my personal 9 seasons financial investment banking job and took the step. From room of my home, I read developing software.

I designed one version of the muzmatch app in MS term, and learned how to code, having 4 months to build the iOS app, and four weeks to build the Android app. close the existing web site down and launched the application! muzmatch is reborn!

muzmatch had been and it is the only real app We have actually ever developed. It is the basic worldwide Muslim relationship app to exist.

The app established with zero people, and expands organically, with a huge selection of newer members joining internationally. 2016 – we make my first hire.

We applied to Y Combinator, and flew off to SF for interviews with Paul Buchheit (maker of Gmail). Regrettably we had been rejected given we had been pre earnings. YC need all of us to show this is often a genuine business.

Our company is limited startup battling to guard our selves contrary to the premier internet dating providers around

2016 – we register trademarks for MUZMATCH in the usa and European countries. US enrollment passes through and it is still legitimate now.

Fit cluster solicitors place all of our European TM enrollment and file an objection to they stating really moving down their particular match/match center style TM (only submitted in 2015!)

2016 the lawyers send us letters demanding us to cease utilization of the MUZMATCH brand, claiming they would not allow another dating company to truly have the English word match inside their name.

Interestingly they presumably attemptedto get Bumble two times, and once rejected both instances, charged Bumble for the same patent infringement states over her use of swipe gestures inside application

We refuse. They even asked we replace the see and design of the logo design itself. We really do not and would not desire to be confused with complement party – they affects all of our company to-be of all of them.

We alter all of our brand name, and take off the heart logo design and alter the font found in the muzmatch logo. Issues get silent. Complement people continue to submit objections to your EU Trademark.

2017 – muzmatch goes on like crazy. We reapplied to Y Combinator (with profits and fantastic progress) and thankfully after flying out over SF, muzmatch was actually accepted to the summer time 17 batch!

We raised a $1.75M seed circular post demo day. 2017 – Whilst I became in SF in the center of YC, United States complement party Chief Executive Officer Mandy Ginsberg keen for more information about united states, and now we bring videos label together with her.

- Match people get in touch with all of us stating these people were into observing all of us further and learn more about all of our company. We were flattered. Usually advisable that you become familiar with your competition. Their EU CEO/CFO/Biz Dev come to our offices in London.

We improve the continuing TM objections these include filing. They decline to back off. We register a UK signature subscription for MUZMATCH.

2018 – complement team encourage us for their workplaces in Paris, and then we signal an NDA and show some interior information. I found myself keen to understand the way they realize our very own companies and prospective. After some forward and backward on data, they generate their unique very first give for us – $15M. Slightly more than all of our seed valuation at YC. A lowball give in my own sight.

Months later they upped this give regarding a number of the added words. We mentioned no thanks a lot.

- they generate another higher provide of $25M which includes additional clawback words if we don’t struck certain objectives. We stated no many thanks. We continue developing the team and biz, with a group of around 7 folks.

- We struck 1 million members on muzmatch! Companies expanding really. Fit group ask you for supper from the Ivy, with team CFO Gary Swidler. They feature all of us $35M for any businesses.

I experienced virtually shed all interest in this talk additionally the provide is completely unexciting. Did not observe how fit would help us with raising. muzmatch ended up being starting to take control the entire world. I turned-down their own offer and said why don’t we just stay in touch.

2019 – Match Group after that purchase a Muslim opponent, Harmonica, stating your Muslim markets is ‘not properly served by Western services and products’.

A couple of months after they sue muzmatch in britain IPEC courts alleging signature infringement We answer back once again, claiming all of our brand was a redline that people will defend into end. It’s got existed for more than years, without any dilemma with Match party, and serves an industry that they have never ever wanted to serve until now.

- complement team in the ante and submit a lawsuit against muzmatch in Waco, Tx alleging patent violation (use of swipe motion) and cyberpiracy (use of one’s MUZMATCH brand name).

- it’s very expensive litigating in america. We produced the economical decision to settle our me situation with complement party.

We choose to take away the swipe motion through the muzmatch application too. Made zero impact on the product. Swiping really is lifeless.

- We strike 5 million users internationally, splitting internal files every week – record communications, fits and successes (over 150,000 folks finding their own lover on muzmatch!). Employees increases to over 60 men and counting. Application reside in 15 languages.

The British suit vs Match people still is real time, and then we check-out trial 17th/18th Jan during the UK IPEC.

If we get hij heeft een goed punt rid of? I will be compelled to transform our very own brand, as well as the term muzmatch will pass away. We’ll likely have to pay information problems.

We battle, because we should. It is crucial that products designed for all of our people are made BY our very own neighborhood, hence we do not allow our selves getting dictated and controlled by rest.

We inquire about prayers, duas and good wishes from your neighborhood, the customers as well as whoever has benefited from muzmatch and discovered their companion.