Dating and Networking App As You Are raises $250k in funding round
- ByTejika Bajaj | January 31, 2022
Homegrown dating and networking app ‘As You Are’ has recently revealed that it has raised a funding worth $250,0000 in the form of Compulsory Convertible Debentures as a part of its funding round. The funding round was led by queer couples who are angle investors and Indian-origin entreprenuers from the marketing segement.
Owain Morgan, Partner, As You Are, said, “Till now India lacked a significant online social platform that serves all LGBTQ+ people, as As You Are understands the challenges that are unique to India in bringing the community together, from the diversity of culture and language across such a vast country to the hesitancy to come out and the social risk it entails.”
Morgan partnered with AYA and helped the startup raise Angel money via Compulsory Convertible Debentures, a form of capital that must be converted to equity after the maturity time, from queer couples who are angel investors and also Indian-origin entrepreneurs in the United States.
Founded by Chandigarh-based entrepreneur Sunali Aggarwal who earlier co-founded Mobikwik, the social network commonly known as AYA was made to cater to the Indian queer people of various gender identities and sexual orientations. Although the platform began as a dating app, with ‘Matchbox’ being its prime feature, Sunali soon realised that the community needed an avenue for safe conversations and more than a space for swiping profiles.