Mingout Revolutionizes Online Dating with Experience-Driven Connections
The digital dating landscape has become a sea of superficiality. For millions of users, the promise of connection has devolved into "swipe fatigue"—a cycle of endless scrolling, shallow small talk, and matches that rarely translate into meaningful real-world interactions. While traditional apps treat people as mere faces on a screen, Navdeep Kamboj and his team at Mingout are building a platform where the date, not just the match, is the goal.
Navdeep Kamboj, an IIM Calcutta graduate with a background at the Times Group, co-founded Mingout to bridge the gap between digital matching and physical connection. Along with his co-founders Devanshu Verma and Harshveer Jain, he is pioneering an "experience-first" approach to dating that focuses on shared activities rather than algorithmic faces.
The Swipe Fatigue Problem
Traditional dating apps focus on geographic proximity and visual attraction. Navdeep highlights that for many, especially men, this leads to a "numbers game" where thousands of swipes result in few matches, and even fewer actual dates. Mingout shifts the focus from matching people to matching agendas.
The Problem: The "Face" vs. The "Human"
Traditional dating apps like Tinder and Bumble have fundamentally changed how we meet, but they've also introduced new frustrations. Navdeep explains that these platforms often see people as "faces and not as humans."
"For guys especially, you have to swipe like thousands of times to finally be able to land a match," Navdeep observes. "And again, even after you land a match, there is a constant struggle of maintaining a conversation, doing small talk, and what not."
The core issue is the lack of an agenda. By the time a match happens, the "charm already fizzes out" because there is no immediate reason to meet. Users get distracted by new matches, and the potential connection dies in the inbox.
The Chicken and Egg Challenge
Most dating apps face a classic liquidity problem: men won't join if there aren't enough women, and women won't join if there isn't a quality pool of men. However, Mingout's model sidesteps this traditional trap by focusing on events.
"The situation is more valid to the traditional apps where you are just matching people on the basis of geography," Navdeep notes. "Here we are offering dates to people. We are listing down dates and events related to those dates, and people are attracted to those particular events or experiences."
The Solution: Experience-First Dating
Mingout’s vision is simple: help people who actually want to date, not just connect. Instead of matching with a person and then figuring out what to do, you match on the activity first.
How Mingout Works
- Browse Experiences: Users find activities or fun events they would want to go on for a first date.
- Find Mutual Interest: You match with people who are interested in the same activity.
- The Agenda is Set: Because you both want to do the activity, the "what should we do?" hurdle is cleared.
- Go on the Date: The platform facilitates the transition to the real world (or virtual world).
Navdeep is clear about the platform's realistic approach: "We don't make promises of soulmates. We don't suggest that you'll be telling your grandkids about Mingout. All we are saying is you will have better first dates and you start off on a nice note."
Evolution: From Side Hustle to 300+ Dates
Mingout didn't start in a boardroom; it started on a piece of paper in 2018. Navdeep, who admits to having no technical background, jotted down the core pain points of the dating experience. The idea was born out of his own experiences and those of his co-founders—all of whom were on their own "dating sprees" while working corporate jobs.
"We used to go out on dates, discuss insights with each other, and that's how we stumbled upon this idea," he recalls. "People are not getting enough dates; it's just the matches. How can we get people to date more in a better and meaningful way?"
The COVID-19 Pivot
The startup was ready with its MVP (Minimum Viable Product) in early 2020, just as the world shut down due to COVID-19. For a business built on "going out," this could have been fatal. Instead, it became an opportunity for innovation.
The team launched "Saturday Dates," a feature that manually organized dates over Zoom calls. "We conducted more than 300 dates last year on Zoom calls," Navdeep says. This manual hustle validated the demand for structured dating experiences, leading to the automation of the feature within the app.
Mingout Traction & Milestones
- 300+ Virtual Dates: Conducted manually during the pandemic to validate the concept.
- 17-Member Team: Growing from a side hustle to a full-time operation in Gurgaon.
- Influencer-Led Growth: Leveraging co-founder Harshveer Jain's significant following for organic acquisition.
- Funding: Successfully raised a friends and family round in 2021, moving toward a seed round.
Building the Team: Networking and Passion
One of the most remarkable aspects of Mingout is its founding team. Despite being a tech-driven platform, none of the three co-founders come from a traditional tech background. Navdeep handles Sales and Operations, Harshveer manages Marketing, and Devanshu oversees the Product.
To solve the tech gap, they relied on their network. "We have Prashant, who is an SDE-3 at Amazon, helping us out with the entire architecture," Navdeep explains. This highlight's a key lesson for non-tech founders: you don't necessarily need a technical co-founder if you have a strong network of tech-oriented mentors and advisors.
Entrepreneur's Lesson: The Power of Networking
Navdeep believes networking is an underrated skill. "Interacting with people from different walks of life is crucial. Our first hires were through networking and reaching out to people who were as enthusiastic about the idea as we are."
Monetization and the Future
While traditional dating apps rely on subscriptions and advertising, Mingout’s primary revenue model is tied to the experiences themselves. The plan involves exclusive ticketing for events hosted within the app.
"Monetization will come through these events," Navdeep predicts. "We will be starting ticketing of these events on our app exclusively. This will become our primary source of revenue in the future."
They are also experimenting with artist-based dates, where influencers or artists moderate dates, creating a "live dating concert" experience. This creates a multi-layered value proposition: entertainment, social connection, and dating, all in one package.
Key Lessons for Entrepreneurs
Navdeep’s journey from a corporate career at the Times Group to a "hustler" at Mingout offers several actionable takeaways for aspiring founders:
1. Persistence is the Key
"The idea never fails; it's the entrepreneur who stops pursuing that idea," Navdeep asserts. It took over three years of side-hustling and iterating to get Mingout to its current state. Persistence allows you to survive the "dark days" and insecurities that come with the territory.
2. Empathy Over Ego
A founder's job is to uplift the team. Navdeep defines entrepreneurship as being a hustler who takes pride in the team and leaves ego at the door. Understanding the needs of both your users and your employees is vital for long-term success.
3. Give More Than You Take
When networking, Navdeep advises a "giver attitude" rather than a "gain attitude." By focusing on how you can help others, you build genuine relationships that eventually provide the support you need when challenges arise.
4. Don't Fear the Risk
Leaving a secure job is the hardest decision many face. For Navdeep, it was liberating. "I didn't have that financial security... but it has been quite liberating for me to quit my job and start something of my own. I now see what all I was missing when I was working for someone else."
Mingout is more than just a dating app; it's a social platform designed to bring the human element back to digital interaction. By focusing on shared experiences, Navdeep and his team are not just matching faces—they are creating the foundation for real memories.
About the Guest
Navdeep Kamboj is the Co-founder of Mingout, a revolutionary dating platform that prioritizes experiences over superficial matching. A graduate of IIM Calcutta (Batch of 2013), Navdeep spent several years at the Times Group in revenue management and campaign solutions before embarking on his entrepreneurial journey. His focus at Mingout is on Sales, Operations, and Alliances, leveraging his corporate experience to scale the platform's real-world dating ecosystem.
Mingout is a Gurgaon-based startup founded by Navdeep Kamboj, Devanshu Verma, and Harshveer Jain. The platform aims to solve dating fatigue by connecting users through shared interests, virtual events, and offline experiences, making dating more meaningful and accessible.