Thursday

Who owns Thursday?
Thursday is an independent privately owned company founded by George Rawlings and Matthew McNeill Love in 2018. The company has not been acquired by any larger dating or technology company. It has raised $3.62 million in funding from investors including Connect Ventures and M-Venture, and is currently raising a new Series A round open to both institutional and community investors.

Is Thursday publicly traded?
No, Thursday is not publicly traded. The company operates as a private limited company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with no stock exchange listing.

What happened to the Thursday dating app?
Thursday shut down its dating app in January 2025. Co-founder Matthew McNeill Love announced the closure on LinkedIn, citing "rapidly declining consumer interest" in dating apps. The app had served 2 million users over its lifetime and was responsible for over 100 marriages and 29 babies, according to the company. Thursday now focuses exclusively on in-person singles events.

When was Thursday founded?
Thursday was founded in 2018 by George Rawlings and Matthew McNeill Love in London, United Kingdom. The company initially launched as Honeypot Dating before rebranding as Thursday and launching its dating app in May 2021.

Who created Thursday?
Thursday was created by George Rawlings and Matthew McNeill Love. Rawlings serves as CEO and McNeill Love is co-founder and strategic leader. The founders recognized the need for real-life dating alternatives to traditional apps and developed the events-based concept.

What is Thursday's revenue?
Thursday has projected 2026 revenue of $20 million with 108 percent year-over-year growth, according to the company's investment platform. The company does not publicly disclose detailed financial statements as a private entity.

How many cities does Thursday operate in?
Thursday operates in over 180 cities worldwide with 1.5 million-plus events running globally. The company has particularly strong presence in London, New York, and other major English-speaking cities.

What is the Thursday IRL Creator Economy?
The IRL Creator Economy is Thursday's model for allowing community members, social butterflies, and hobby enthusiasts to earn income by hosting events in their cities. Co-founder Matthew McNeill Love announced this initiative in February 2026 as part of the company's Series A fundraising efforts.

Thursday was founded in 2018 by George Rawlings and Matthew McNeill Love in London. The company initially launched as Honeypot Dating, a location-based dating app where users could check into venues and see who else was around. The concept evolved based on user feedback and market observations about digital dating fatigue.

The founders recognized that many users were frustrated with endless swiping and digital messaging without real-life connections. This insight led to a pivot toward hosting actual singles events, primarily held on Thursdays, creating a unique position in the dating market.

The company rebranded as Thursday and launched its dating app in May 2021. The app operated only on Thursdays, creating concentrated activity and a sense of urgency. In June 2021, Thursday raised 2.5 million pounds in seed investment from investors including Connect Ventures and M-Venture.

In June 2022, Thursday raised an additional $3.5 million in a Series A round from a combination of angel investors and venture capital firms. The company began expanding into the United States, targeting 20 major US cities by the end of 2022.

In January 2024, Thursday faced backlash when co-founder George Rawlings posted on LinkedIn about laying off 70 percent of the company's staff. The post, which featured a photo of the firm's employees, was widely criticized for its tone and was subsequently deleted. Rawlings issued an apology following the backlash.

In January 2025, Thursday announced it was shutting down its dating app. Co-founder Matthew McNeill Love announced the closure on LinkedIn, stating: "With the rapidly declining consumer interest in dating apps it's time for Thursday to focus on greener pastures and double down on what we really believe; that meeting other singles in the real world is better on every level than meeting online." The app had served 2 million users over its lifetime.

Following the app closure, Thursday accelerated its events business. In February 2026, the company partnered with Pepsi UK to host a sponsored singles event at The Ministry in Borough, London, featuring custom Pepsi cocktails and branded social activities. The partnership represented a new revenue stream through brand sponsorships.

In 2026, Thursday launched an investment platform at invest.thursday.com, allowing community members to pledge investment in the company's upcoming funding round alongside institutional investors. The company is in conversations with top-tier funds for its next round.

Thursday does not hold independent third-party sustainability certifications such as B Corp status. The company has not published sustainability reports or environmental impact assessments.

The company's IRL events model has inherent environmental impacts through venue operations, transportation, and waste generation. Thursday has not published specific initiatives to reduce the environmental footprint of its events.

Ethically, Thursday faced criticism in January 2024 when co-founder George Rawlings posted about laying off 70 percent of the company's staff on LinkedIn in a tone that was widely criticized as insensitive. The post was deleted and Rawlings issued an apology. The layoffs reflected the company's financial challenges at the time and its decision to operate with a leaner team.

The company's pivot away from dating apps to IRL events has been framed as a response to consumer welfare concerns about dating app addiction, ghosting, and digital fatigue. Co-founder Matthew McNeill Love has argued that meeting in person is "better on every level" than meeting online, positioning Thursday as a more ethical alternative to dating apps.

Thursday has received limited formal awards recognition, though the company has been featured prominently in media coverage:

• TechCrunch Coverage: Featured in TechCrunch for its expansion to San Francisco in August 2024
• City AM Coverage: Covered by City AM for its app closure and pivot to events in January 2025
• Dating Industry Insights: Featured for its Pepsi partnership and monetization strategy in January 2026
• Global Dating Insights: Covered for its app launch and funding rounds in 2021

The company's media coverage has focused on its unconventional approach to dating and its pivot from app to events, rather than formal industry awards.

Thursday has faced several controversies throughout its history.

In January 2024, co-founder George Rawlings posted a LinkedIn message announcing that 70 percent of the company's staff had been made redundant, accompanied by a photo of the firm's employees. The post was widely criticized for its tone and perceived insensitivity toward the laid-off workers. Rawlings deleted the post and issued an apology, but the incident generated significant negative media coverage and damaged the company's reputation among potential employees.

The closure of the dating app in January 2025 was controversial among some users who had relied on the app for dating. While the company framed the closure as a strategic pivot, some users expressed frustration on social media about losing access to the platform. The company directed users to its events as an alternative.

The Pepsi partnership in February 2026 drew criticism from some industry commentators who argued that the partnership represented "monetisation innovation dressed up as community building." Dating Industry Insights published a critical analysis arguing that Thursday was converting its user base into a "packageable audience for consumer brands" rather than focusing on helping people find partners.

Thursday has not faced significant regulatory actions or legal disputes. The company operates in the events and social connections space, which has lower regulatory exposure than dating apps that handle sensitive personal data. However, the company's events involve alcohol consumption and large gatherings, which carry inherent safety and liability risks.