ParshipMeet Group

Who owns ParshipMeet Group?
ParshipMeet Group is a joint venture owned by German media company ProSiebenSat.1 Media (majority stake) and American private equity firm General Atlantic (significant minority stake). The company is not publicly traded.

Is ParshipMeet Group publicly traded?
No, ParshipMeet Group is not publicly traded. It operates as a private joint venture between ProSiebenSat.1 Media and General Atlantic.

What brands does ParshipMeet Group own?
ParshipMeet Group owns eHarmony, Parship, ElitePartner, MeetMe, Skout, Tagged, and Lovoo, among other dating and social networking platforms.

When was ParshipMeet Group formed?
ParshipMeet Group was formed in 2020 following ProSiebenSat.1 Media's acquisition of The Meet Group for approximately $500 million. The company consolidated its dating assets (eHarmony, Parship, ElitePartner, and The Meet Group's platforms) under the ParshipMeet Group name.

How does ParshipMeet Group compare to Match Group?
Match Group is significantly larger than ParshipMeet Group, owning Tinder, Hinge, Match.com, OkCupid, and other platforms with hundreds of millions of users globally. ParshipMeet Group is a major competitor but operates at a smaller scale, with particular strength in the European market and the serious relationship segment.

What is eHarmony?
eHarmony is a U.S.-focused online dating platform founded in 2000 by Dr. Neil Clark Warren. It uses a proprietary compatibility matching system based on 29 dimensions of compatibility and is known for its focus on long-term relationships and marriage. eHarmony was acquired by NuCom Group (now ParshipMeet Group) in 2018.

The history of ParshipMeet Group is the history of several independent dating platforms that were eventually consolidated under one corporate structure.

Parship was founded in 2000 in Hamburg, Germany, as one of Europe's first serious relationship-focused dating platforms. The platform used a scientific compatibility test developed by psychologists to match users based on personality traits. Parship grew to become one of the leading dating platforms in Germany and other European markets.

ElitePartner was founded in 2003 in Hamburg as a premium dating platform targeting educated professionals. The platform positioned itself as a high-quality alternative to mainstream dating sites, focusing on long-term relationships.

eHarmony was founded in 2000 in the United States by Dr. Neil Clark Warren, a clinical psychologist and theologian. The platform used a proprietary compatibility matching system based on 29 dimensions of compatibility. eHarmony became one of the most recognized dating brands in the United States, known for its focus on long-term relationships and marriage.

The Meet Group was formed through the consolidation of several social networking and dating apps. MeetMe (formerly myYearbook) was founded in 2005 as a social networking site. The company acquired Skout (a location-based dating app) in 2016 and Tagged (a social discovery platform) in 2016. The Meet Group also acquired Lovoo (a German dating app) in 2017.

ProSiebenSat.1 Media acquired Parship and ElitePartner through its NuCom Group digital commerce subsidiary. In 2018, NuCom Group (with General Atlantic as a co-investor) acquired eHarmony for approximately $50 million. In 2020, ProSiebenSat.1 Media acquired The Meet Group for approximately $500 million.

Following the acquisition of The Meet Group, ProSiebenSat.1 Media consolidated its dating assets under the ParshipMeet Group name in 2020, creating one of the world's largest online dating companies.

In subsequent years, ParshipMeet Group has focused on integrating its portfolio of platforms, developing new features including live video streaming and virtual gifting, and expanding its user base globally.

ParshipMeet Group and its constituent brands have faced scrutiny related to online dating safety, including concerns about fake profiles, scammers, and the accuracy of compatibility matching claims.

eHarmony has faced criticism for its historical exclusion of same-sex couples from its matching service. The company launched a separate same-sex dating service (Compatible Partners) in 2009 following legal pressure, and later integrated same-sex matching into the main eHarmony platform.

The company operates across multiple jurisdictions with different privacy and data protection regulations, including the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which imposes significant requirements on companies that process personal data of EU residents.