Match Group Announces Leadership Transition at Hinge and Strategic Spinout of New Venture, Overtone

Rhea-AI Summary

Match Group (NASDAQ: MTCH) announced a leadership transition at Hinge and the spinout of a new AI-driven venture, Overtone, on Dec 9, 2025. Founder Justin McLeod will step away from Hinge to lead Overtone as chairman, with Match Group planning to lead Overtone's initial funding round in early 2026 and hold a substantial ownership stake. Jackie Jantos is promoted to CEO of Hinge and will lead its next growth phase. Match Group CEO Spencer Rascoff will join Overtone's board. Hinge is described as on track for $1 billion revenue by 2027.

Positive

• Match to lead Overtone funding in early 2026
• Substantial ownership position planned by Match Group
• Jackie Jantos promoted to CEO with regional and product expansion experience
• Hinge trajectory: on track to $1 billion revenue by 2027

Negative

• Founder transition risk: Justin McLeod stepping away from day-to-day leadership
• Resource allocation: Match provided pre-seed support to Overtone, possibly diverting company resources

Match Group to Lead the Funding Round for AI-driven Overtone and Support Hinge's Long-Term Growth Under Newly Promoted CEO Jackie Jantos

NEW YORK, Dec. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Match Group (NASDAQ: MTCH) today announced a leadership transition at Hinge as Founder and CEO Justin McLeod steps away from the company to launch Overtone, a new standalone AI-driven venture backed by Match Group. As part of the transition, Jackie Jantos, currently Hinge's President and Chief Marketing Officer, has been promoted to Chief Executive Officer.

Overtone originated inside Hinge, where McLeod and a dedicated team spent much of 2025 developing the concept with the full support of Match Group. Overtone is an early-stage dating service focused on using AI and voice tools to help people connect in a more thoughtful and personal way. Throughout the year, Match Group and Hinge provided substantial support for Overtone, including a pre-seed financing commitment in 2025 and access to relevant internal learnings and expertise, which accelerated Overtone's early exploration and development.

Match Group plans to lead Overtone's initial funding round in early 2026 and hold a substantial ownership position. This structure gives Overtone a significant head start and positions it as a well-backed and credible entrant in the fast-growing AI connection space. Overtone will operate independently as it continues development; Match Group CEO Spencer Rascoff will join its Board of Directors, and Overtone Founder and CEO Justin McLeod will be its Chairman.

"Justin has been an extraordinary innovator and world-class founder, taking Hinge from an early idea to a global leader in intentional dating," said Spencer Rascoff, CEO of Match Group. "We're proud to have incubated Overtone within Hinge and to now lead its funding round as he builds his next venture. With a strong foundation and leadership team in place, Hinge is poised for its next chapter under Jackie's leadership, focused on continued growth and innovation."

McLeod, who founded Hinge in 2011, will remain an advisor to Hinge through March to support the transition. His new company, Overtone, will build on his longstanding commitment to responsible, human-centered technology to support people seeking deeper relationships.

"Building Hinge has been the privilege of my life, and I'm incredibly proud of what the team has created," said McLeod. "The company's momentum, including being on track to reach $1 billion in revenue by 2027, gives me full confidence in where Hinge is headed. I'm grateful for Spencer and Match Group's continued support and excited for what comes next."

As CEO, Jackie Jantos will lead Hinge into its next phase of growth, building on four years of leadership across brand, culture, and product strategy. Under her tenure as President and CMO, Hinge expanded into Europe and Latin America, introduced new product innovations rooted in user insights, and strengthened its cultural relevance with Gen Z, which now represents Hinge's largest audience globally.

"Hinge's mission to help people find meaningful, in-person relationships has never been more important. I am honored to lead this next chapter and to continue building on the strong foundation Justin created. Our focus will remain on intentional innovation that is grounded in culture, creativity, and a deep understanding of how people connect today," said Jackie Jantos, CEO of Hinge.

Hinge remains on a strong growth trajectory, supported by a clear long-term roadmap and a highly experienced leadership team under Jantos. This transition underscores Match Group's focus on innovation and on strengthening the category through apps that deepen human connection. Match Group will continue to invest in Hinge's momentum and in Overtone's development as part of its strategy to shape the future of the category through responsible AI and real-world outcomes.

About Match Group
Match Group (NASDAQ: MTCH), through its portfolio companies, is a leading provider of digital technologies designed to help people make meaningful connections. Our global portfolio of brands includes Tinder^®, Hinge^®, Match^®, Meetic^®, OkCupid^®, Pairs™, PlentyOfFish^®, Azar^®, BLK^®, and more, each built to increase our users' likelihood of connecting with others. Through our trusted brands, we provide tailored services to meet the varying preferences of our users. Our services are available in over 40 languages to our users all over the world.

Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements that are not historical facts are "forward looking statements." The use of words such as "anticipates," "estimates," "expects," "plans," "believes," "will," and "would," among others, generally identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements relating to: Match Group's and Hinge's future financial performance, Match Group's and Hinge's business prospects and strategy, anticipated trends, and other similar matters. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and assumptions about future events, which are inherently subject to uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in these forward-looking statements for a variety of reasons, including, among others: our ability to maintain or grow the size of our user base and convert users to paying users, the success of our product strategies, competition, our ability to realize reductions in in-app purchase fees, the limited operating history of some of our brands, our ability to attract users to our services through cost-effective marketing and related efforts, our ability to distribute our services through third parties and offset related fees, risks relating to our use of artificial intelligence, foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations (including anticipated gains from fluctuations), the integrity and scalability of our systems and infrastructure (and those of third parties) and our ability to adapt ours to changes in a timely and cost-effective manner, our ability to protect our systems from cyberattacks and to protect personal and confidential user information, impacts to our offices and employees from more frequent extreme weather events, risks relating to certain of our international operations and acquisitions, damage to our brands' reputations as a result of inappropriate actions by users of our services, and macroeconomic conditions. Certain of these and other risks and uncertainties are discussed in Match Group's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other unknown or unpredictable factors that could also adversely affect Match Group's and Hinge's business, financial condition and results of operations may arise from time to time. In light of these risks and uncertainties, these forward-looking statements may not prove to be accurate. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which only reflect the views of Match Group management as of the date of this press release. Match Group does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements.

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SOURCE Match Group

FAQ

What did Match Group announce about Hinge leadership on Dec 9, 2025 (MTCH)?

Match Group announced Justin McLeod will step away and Jackie Jantos is promoted to CEO of Hinge effective following the transition.

What is Overtone and when will Match Group fund it (MTCH)?

Overtone is an AI-driven dating venture spun out from Hinge; Match Group plans to lead its initial funding round in early 2026 and hold a substantial ownership stake.

Will Spencer Rascoff have a role at Overtone (MTCH)?

Yes, Match Group CEO Spencer Rascoff will join Overtone's Board of Directors.

How long will Justin McLeod advise Hinge after the transition (MTCH)?

Justin McLeod will remain an advisor to Hinge through March following the announcement.

What revenue target did Match Group or Hinge cite for Hinge by 2027 (MTCH)?

The announcement cites Hinge is on track to reach $1 billion in revenue by 2027.

How will the Hinge leadership change affect investors in Match Group (MTCH)?

The company framed the move as supporting Hinge's long-term growth under a promoted CEO while Match leads investment in Overtone; investors should note leadership transition and capital allocation to the new venture.