From heartbreak to Paktor, and how the mobile dating app craze is sweeping across Asia

Update: Readers have pointed out the similarities between Paktor and Tinder, a US dating app. Indeed, the user interfaces do look similar, right down to the color scheme and motifs.

Singaporean Joseph Phua turned single after a long-term relationship, but found it tough going when he began dating again. Not that he lacks confidence, but his experience on matchmaking websites, which he tried on the advice of friends, yielded little.

Putting up a profile takes a lot of effort, and the matching process takes forever — sometimes up to three months. There wasn’t any instant gratification either.

On the bright side, the experiences gave him a startup idea. While dating websites were unsatisfactory, he found mobile dating apps like OkCupid far more promising. But none of these apps are hitting the nail on the head.

So he decided to give it a go. In May this year, he convinced Christopher D’Cruz, a fellow MBA student at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, to join him.

“I’ve tried a lot of dating options, but mobile apps tend to be much simpler since they’re location-based,” said Chris.

In Asia, a new breed of mobile dating apps are fast gaining in popularity, sometimes reaching thousands of users. Paktor, which was started in Singapore but plans to expand regionally, is one of many.

There’s also Noonswoon in Thailand, and China has plenty with Momo leading a pack that consists of Mix, Youjia, and Mojing.

What separates these apps from traditional dating websites is their ease of use. They usually involve integration with existing social networks, making sign-ups a breeze. Location-based detection appears to be a must, and emphasis is placed on the all-important profile picture and  a simple description.

While Momo already has millions of users, the phenomenon is fairly recent, surfacing only in 2011. Also, excluding China, the rest of Asia appears to be virgin territory for mobile dating apps.

That’s why the founders of Paktor decided to launch in Asia with Singapore as its first market.

“Asians are a lot shyer and have a higher fear of rejection. If we can let them hide behind a networking service that enables them to meet people, why not?” said Joseph.

Since launching a month ago, the app has already secured 25,000 active users with 40 percent of them using the app daily. Nine out of ten return after their first use.

It also has angel funding separated into tranches, and the amount the startup receives will depend upon hitting milestones. But if all goes well, they will have money to expand to eight cities in six months. Bangkok, Jakarta and Hong Kong are next on their list, and an Android app is in the works.