Washington: Bumble dating app CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd on Thursday (local time) became one of the few self-made female billionaires.
According to CNN Business, Bumble, best known for its female-centred dating app, priced its shares at USD 43 ahead of trading on Thursday (local time) higher than the original USD 28 to USD 30 forecast. It started trading on Nasdaq under the stock ticker “BMBL.”
The company was founded in 2014 by Wolfe Herd, who started her career at another dating service, Tinder. Bumble requires women searching for heterosexual matches to make the first move, the idea being that this feature would empower women to make their own choices.
Bumble, headquartered in Austin, now offers services beyond dating, including professional networking (Bumble Bizz) and finding new friends (Bumble BFF), CNN Business reported.
“You don’t have to be one type of person to find success in the business world or in the tech industry,” CNN Business quoted Wolfe Herd as saying.
“I’ve truly just always tried to build what I wish existed, what I wish could help make lives better for the women I care about and the people I love, and I think it doesn’t always have to follow the same path,” Wolfe Herd added.
“It’s not just me. I built this with a wide team … but I think everyone can be here if they stay true to what they’re trying to achieve,” Wolfe Herd said adding “It is time there are more women in positions of leaderships, on boards, receiving capital and funding.”