Stockholm-based startup gofrendly has raised $1.25 million led by Swedish VC fund, JNE Invest. The startup’s AI-driven app helps women find like-minded friends, fellow entrepreneurs, events, and groups based on their lifestyles and interests. The funding will pave the way for its expansion into the UK and the improvement of its AI capabilities.
Founded in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2015 by Ulrika Lilja (CEO) and Claudia Gård (COO), the free-to-join app makes it easier for women to develop real connections and experience friendships. gofrendly’s technology, data and large community is designed to allow its users to find good matches and build platonic relationships that are likely to work.
gofrendly was created following the two founders meeting on a Facebook group for a ‘friendship date’, as one of them wanted to meet other female entrepreneurs after returning to Sweden from the United States. Since launching, gofrendly has so far onboarded almost 250,000 Nordic-based female users, including 65% of all 20-35 year old women in Stockholm, who are using the app to forge meaningful friendships and arrange meet-ups. To date, the app has so far generated nearly 11 million direct messages, 4,600 coffee dates, 2,537 friends groups, and 70 trips away.
gofrendly utilises AI to deliver matches, which includes interests and reasons for joining the app such as moving to a new city, wanting to find fellow female entrepreneurs, becoming a new mother, and finding people to try out hobbies or sports with. The app also has functions that allow users to host and join events and groups, enabling them to further expand their friendship circle with like-minded individuals.
The demand for apps like gofrendly is high amongst women, who may struggle to find friendship and communities due to various practical and emotional hurdles. A recent YouGov survey found that 52% of women in the UK find it difficult to make new friends. Additionally, a survey commissioned by The Wall Street Journal found that a third of 16-24 year old women in the United States had used dating apps to find platonic friends, rather than for romantic relationships.
Ulrika Lilja, Co-founder and CEO of gofrendly, comments: “gofrendly is for those with a shared drive to make new connections, create more experiences, and have more memories with friends. We allow users to focus on the joy of making new friends, rather than the effort of finding them. We couldn’t be more excited about our plans to further develop and expand the app beyond Sweden, starting with the UK. Female friendships are invaluable to women everywhere, and can help with their general happiness and well-being. gofrendly is dedicated to fulfilling those important needs.”
A study by global information analytics company Elsevier found that women involved in female-based friendships release calming hormones that help to negate the impacts of stress, and a UCLA report found that women are inclined to befriend one another in times of trouble and distress, while men are more likely to exhibit a fight-or-flight response.
Niklas Norén, Partner at JNE Invest, adds: “We are huge believers in the gofrendly mission and in the road that lies ahead. The app has a proven track record of helping women find and foster important relationships that have led them to try new hobbies, start businesses, and expand their social horizons. In a post-pandemic world, the appetite for friendship apps is soaring, and we believe that gofrendly will be at the forefront of future social-tech growth.”
Since launching, gofrendly has expanded its team to 15 people and to date has raised $4M.
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