The Download: Even before we were sequestered to our homes, most of us needed help to find love. Much like relationships, Bumble relies primarily on intuition—that is, intuitive design: What is the science behind swiping right? Last week, the company capitalized on exactly that, which, honestly, is just damn good UI design. The popular dating app, which lets women make the first move, soared on its first day of trading. The app priced its shares at $43, above its earlier target range of $37 to $39. Once live, BMBL started trading at 77 percent at $76 per share on Nasdaq, closing the day with a market cap of $7.7 billion and the stock at $70.55.
Why It Matters: The app’s design suggests that yellow might be the most romantic color. The interface’s saffron hue intuitively sparks feelings of joy, and diverse illustrations of people from all ethnic backgrounds canoodling eases pressure from the already-exhausting dating taboos, making it easier for people to connect without feeling exhausted. Fundamentally, the app tries to suss out real-life emotional factors, which are what its algorithms base falling in love on.
In Their Own Words: “Design is very good about embracing values,” said head of product design Lara Mendonça. “The app is celebrating that women make the first move and men take a passenger seat. That sets us apart. And that’s a design decision. The mindset we have now, the team we have now, reflects the diversity and unique point of view of our users.”
Surface Says: Buy stock. We suggest investing in the early Tinder executive, Whitney Wolfe Herd, who, at 31, is the youngest female founder to take a U.S. company public, and is now the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire.
