Dating apps don’t all have to be about hookups. Peekawoo is proof of that

Philippine dating startup Peekawoo has come a long way. Most people hadn’t even heard of the company a year ago. Today, Peekawoo has grown its user base to thousands, launched an iOS app, raised funds from three investors, while features on BBC and Google have created international buzz around it.

Getting to this point this fast is something Peekawoo founder Valenice Balace never expected. “Just a year ago I was sitting behind a desk, had a nine-to-five job. Now here I am, keeping the company intact. Getting that many users is a big surprise. Being interviewed around the world is mind-blowing. I still can’t believe it.”

It’s surprising indeed since Peekawoo swims defiantly against a tide of popular dating apps for straight people like Tinder and Skout, which are mostly about hookups.

Instead, Peekawoo caters to young women who still want to take a traditional but fun approach to dating.

See more: 6 dating apps from Asia

A dating app made for women

The Peekawoo team knows its target market enough because, well, it’s them. Except for their CTO, who’s a guy, the team is comprised of eight girls in their early to mid-20s.

Prior to creating Peekawoo, Balace and her co-founder and friend, Mara Ang, had gone through the usual options for dating. They went to nightspots and clubs, but met no one. They tried traditional dating sites, but found many users to be serious relationship-seekers who were looking for marriage like ticking time bombs. Finally, they tried location-based dating apps, which were disappointments as they were filled with men just looking for sex.

“I met someone in one app and he wanted to go to my house instantly. It super freaked me out,” Balace recalls.

She says most dating apps nowadays are made by men, and are shaped by how men want things to be. Many of them act like a “catalogue” of women. On these sites and apps, women often find themselves deluged with inappropriate and sexually suggestive messages. They lack what women like Balace and Ang need: a bit of privacy, control, and a safe path to offline meetups. In other words – a friendly, wholesome environment that doesn’t pressure a woman to do things she’s not ready for.

Launched in September 2013, Peekawoo is staying out of the location-based game. It filters possible matches for you based on your basic info when you sign in, but there’s still an option to type in your preferences. It requires you to get at least three out of five “would you rather” questions right before you can chat with a person.

Peekawoo is also making a difference in offline dating by hosting friendly get-togethers for its members.

While challenging, this counter-trend strategy is proving to be working for the company.