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| name        = Whitney Wolfe Herd
| name        = Whitney Wolfe Herd
| birth_name  = Whitney Wolfe
| birth_name  = Whitney Wolfe
| image        = TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco 2018 - day 2 (30647055838).jpg
| caption      = Wolfe Herd in 2018
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1989|7|1}}
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1989|7|1}}
| birth_place  = [[Salt Lake City]], [[Utah]], U.S.
| birth_place  = [[Salt Lake City]], [[Utah]], U.S.
| nationality  = American
| nationality  = American
| education    = [[Southern Methodist University]] (BA)
| education    = [[Southern Methodist University]] (BA)
| occupation  = Entrepreneur, technology executive
| occupation  = Entrepreneur, business executive
| known_for    = Founding [[Bumble (app)|Bumble]], co-founding [[Tinder (app)|Tinder]]
| known_for    = Founder of [[Bumble (app)|Bumble]], co-founder of [[Tinder (app)|Tinder]]
| children    = 2
| children    = 2
| awards      = ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' 100 Most Influential People (2018)
| awards      = ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' 100 Most Influential People (2018)
}}
}}


'''Whitney Wolfe Herd''' (born July 1, 1989) is an American entrepreneur and technology executive who founded the dating and social networking platform [[Bumble (app)|Bumble]], where she has served as chief executive officer and executive chair. Before creating Bumble, Wolfe Herd was a co-founder and vice president of marketing at [[Tinder (app)|Tinder]], the dating application that helped popularize the "swipe" mechanic in mobile dating.<ref>{{cite news |date=2015-01-29 |title=Whitney Wolfe Says Goodbye to Tinder, Hello to Bumble |url=http://www.labusinessjournal.com/news/2015/jan/29/whitney-wolfe-says-goodbye-tinder-hello-bumble/ |work=Los Angeles Business Journal |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Her departure from Tinder in 2014 amid a sexual harassment lawsuit drew national attention and set the stage for her founding of Bumble, a platform built on the premise that women should initiate conversations in heterosexual matches.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2015-04-12 |title=Bumble: the dating app where women call the shots |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/apr/12/bumble-dating-app-women-call-shots-whitney-wolfe |work=The Guardian |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Bumble went public in February 2021, and Wolfe Herd became one of the youngest women to take a company public in the United States.<ref>{{cite news |date=2021-02-11 |title=Bumble IPO: CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd |url=https://fortune.com/2021/02/11/bumble-ipo-ceo-whitney-wolfe-herd-bmbl-stock-shares-interview-app-initial-public-offering/ |work=Fortune |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Named to ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine's list of the 100 Most Influential People in 2018, Wolfe Herd has become a prominent figure in the technology industry and a central voice in debates about women's safety and empowerment in online spaces.<ref>{{cite web |title=Whitney Wolfe Herd: 2018 Time 100 |url=https://time.com/collection/most-influential-people-2018/5217594/whitney-wolfe-herd/ |publisher=Time |date=2018 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
'''Whitney Wolfe Herd''' (née '''Wolfe'''; born July 1, 1989) is an American entrepreneur and business executive who founded the dating application [[Bumble (app)|Bumble]] and serves as its executive chair and CEO. Before launching Bumble, she was a co-founder and Vice President of Marketing at [[Tinder (app)|Tinder]], where she played a central role in building one of the first mainstream mobile dating platforms. Wolfe Herd's departure from Tinder in 2014 was accompanied by a high-profile sexual harassment lawsuit that drew widespread attention to workplace culture in the technology industry. She subsequently founded Bumble, a dating app distinguished by its requirement that women initiate conversations in heterosexual matches — a design choice rooted in Wolfe Herd's stated goal of shifting power dynamics in online dating.<ref name="guardian">{{cite news |last=Garber |first=Megan |date=2015-04-12 |title=Bumble: the dating app where women call the shots |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/apr/12/bumble-dating-app-women-call-shots-whitney-wolfe |work=The Guardian |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In February 2021, Wolfe Herd took Bumble public on the [[Nasdaq]], becoming one of the youngest women to take a company public in the United States.<ref name="fortune-ipo">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2021-02-11 |title=Bumble IPO: CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd on BMBL stock, shares, and the app's initial public offering |url=https://fortune.com/2021/02/11/bumble-ipo-ceo-whitney-wolfe-herd-bmbl-stock-shares-interview-app-initial-public-offering/ |work=Fortune |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> She was named to the ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' 100 list of most influential people in 2018 and has been recognized as one of the most prominent figures in the technology and dating industries.<ref name="time100">{{cite web |title=Whitney Wolfe Herd: The 100 Most Influential People of 2018 |url=https://time.com/collection/most-influential-people-2018/5217594/whitney-wolfe-herd/ |publisher=Time |date=2018 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Early Life ==
== Early Life ==


Whitney Wolfe was born on July 1, 1989, in [[Salt Lake City]], [[Utah]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Whitney Wolfe Herd |url=https://atxwoman.com/whitney-wolfe/ |publisher=ATX Woman |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> She grew up in Salt Lake City before eventually relocating to [[Texas]] for her higher education. Details about her parents and family background during her childhood years are limited in publicly available sources, though her later entrepreneurial career suggests an early interest in business and social dynamics.
Whitney Wolfe was born on July 1, 1989, in [[Salt Lake City]], [[Utah]].<ref name="biography">{{cite web |title=Whitney Wolfe Helped Make Tinder a Success. Then She Created Its Fiercest Competitor. |url=https://www.biography.com/business-leaders/a66106070/swiped-true-story-whitney-wolfe-herd-bumble |publisher=Biography |date=2025-09-22 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> She grew up in Utah before relocating to [[Texas]] for her higher education. Details about her family background and upbringing prior to college remain limited in publicly available sources.


While still a student at [[Southern Methodist University]] (SMU) in [[Dallas]], Wolfe demonstrated an entrepreneurial inclination. She launched a clothing line called Tender Heart, which was featured in the SMU student newspaper, ''The Daily Campus''.<ref>{{cite news |title=SMU senior Whitney Wolfe launches second business, clothing line Tender Heart |url=http://www.smudailycampus.com/news/smu-senior-whitney-wolfe-launches-second-business-clothing-line-tender-heart |work=The Daily Campus |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The venture reflected her early interest in combining entrepreneurship with causes she cared about. Wolfe later moved to [[Los Angeles]], where she became involved in the technology startup scene that would define her career.
While still a student at [[Southern Methodist University]] (SMU) in [[Dallas]], Wolfe demonstrated entrepreneurial interests. She launched a clothing line called Tender Heart, which was covered by the university's campus newspaper, ''The SMU Daily Campus''.<ref name="smu">{{cite web |title=SMU Senior Whitney Wolfe Launches Second Business, Clothing Line Tender Heart |url=http://www.smudailycampus.com/news/smu-senior-whitney-wolfe-launches-second-business-clothing-line-tender-heart |publisher=SMU Daily Campus |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The venture reflected Wolfe's early inclination toward building consumer-facing brands, a skill set she would later apply in the technology sector.
 
After completing her studies at SMU, Wolfe moved to [[Los Angeles]], where she entered the technology startup world. It was in this environment that she became involved with a group of entrepreneurs who were developing what would become Tinder, one of the most consequential mobile applications in the history of online dating.<ref name="bi-tinder">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2015-01 |title=Tinder Co-Founder Whitney Wolfe and Bumble |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/tinder-co-founder-whitney-wolfe-and-bumble-2015-1 |work=Business Insider |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Education ==
== Education ==


Wolfe Herd attended [[Southern Methodist University]] in [[Dallas]], [[Texas]], where she earned a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree.<ref>{{cite news |title=SMU senior Whitney Wolfe launches second business, clothing line Tender Heart |url=http://www.smudailycampus.com/news/smu-senior-whitney-wolfe-launches-second-business-clothing-line-tender-heart |work=The Daily Campus |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> During her time at SMU, she was active in entrepreneurial ventures, including her Tender Heart clothing line. Her college years in Dallas positioned her within Texas's growing technology and business ecosystem, a connection she would maintain when she later headquartered Bumble in [[Austin, Texas|Austin]].
Wolfe Herd attended [[Southern Methodist University]] (SMU) in [[Dallas]], [[Texas]], where she earned a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree.<ref name="smu" /> During her time at SMU, she was involved in entrepreneurial activities, including the launch of a clothing line. Her time at the university coincided with a period of growing interest in mobile technology and social networking platforms, and her post-graduation career trajectory led her directly into the technology startup ecosystem of [[Los Angeles]].<ref name="bi-tinder" />


== Career ==
== Career ==


=== Tinder ===
=== Tinder (2012–2014) ===
 
In 2012, Whitney Wolfe joined a team of entrepreneurs working on a mobile dating application that would become [[Tinder (app)|Tinder]].<ref name="biography" /> She served as the company's Vice President of Marketing and is credited as a co-founder of the app. In her marketing role, Wolfe was instrumental in driving early user adoption of Tinder, particularly among college-aged users. She reportedly traveled to university campuses to promote the app, a grassroots marketing strategy that helped Tinder gain rapid traction among young adults.<ref name="nyt-2017">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2017-03-18 |title=Bumble, the Feminist Dating App, and Whitney Wolfe |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/18/fashion/bumble-feminist-dating-app-whitney-wolfe.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
 
Tinder's introduction of the "swipe right" mechanic to indicate interest in a potential match fundamentally changed the landscape of online dating, transforming it from a desktop-centric activity into a mobile-first social experience.<ref name="nyt-interview-2025">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2025-05-10 |title='The Interview': Can Whitney Wolfe Herd Make Us Love Dating Apps Again? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/10/magazine/whitney-wolfe-herd-interview.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The app grew to become one of the most downloaded applications worldwide, and Wolfe's marketing contributions were a significant factor in its early success.<ref name="biography" />
 
However, Wolfe's tenure at Tinder ended acrimoniously. In June 2014, she filed a lawsuit against Tinder and its parent company, alleging sexual harassment and discrimination by co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer Justin Mateen, as well as other senior executives at the company.<ref name="heavy">{{cite web |title=Tinder Whitney Wolfe Sean Rad Justin Mateen Sexual Harassment Suit |url=http://heavy.com/tech/2014/07/tinder-whitney-wolfe-sean-rad-justin-mateen-sexual-harassment-suit/ |publisher=Heavy |date=2014-07 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The lawsuit alleged that Mateen had sent Wolfe threatening and derogatory text messages and that she had been stripped of her co-founder title because the company's leadership felt that having a young female co-founder "ichael make the company look like a joke."<ref name="heavy" />
 
The case attracted significant media attention and became one of the earliest high-profile sexual harassment claims in [[Silicon Valley]]'s technology industry, predating the broader [[Me Too movement]] by several years.<ref name="wapo-2015">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2015-12-02 |title=Whitney Wolfe, founder of dating app Bumble, has had quite the year. She just can't discuss parts of it. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2015/12/02/whitney-wolfe-founder-of-dating-app-bumble-has-had-quite-the-year-she-just-cant-discuss-parts-of-it/ |work=The Washington Post |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In November 2014, the lawsuit was settled for a reported sum of just over one million dollars. As part of the settlement, Wolfe was prohibited from publicly discussing many details of the case.<ref name="bi-settle">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2014-11 |title=Whitney Wolfe Settles Sexual Harassment Tinder Lawsuit for $1 Million |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/whitney-wolfe-settles-sexual-harassment-tinder-lawsuit-1-million-2014-11 |work=Business Insider |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref name="wapo-2015" /> Mateen was suspended from Tinder following the public disclosure of the lawsuit.<ref name="heavy" />
 
=== Founding of Bumble (2014) ===


After graduating from Southern Methodist University, Wolfe became involved with [[Tinder (app)|Tinder]] in its early stages. She is credited as a co-founder of the dating application, which launched in 2012 and rapidly transformed the landscape of online dating by introducing the now-ubiquitous swipe-based matching system.<ref>{{cite news |date=2025-09-22 |title=Whitney Wolfe Helped Make Tinder a Success. Then She Created Its Fiercest Competitor. |url=https://www.biography.com/business-leaders/a66106070/swiped-true-story-whitney-wolfe-herd-bumble |work=Biography |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> At Tinder, Wolfe served as vice president of marketing and is credited with playing a significant role in growing the app's early user base, particularly through outreach to college campuses and young demographics.<ref>{{cite news |date=2015-01-01 |title=Tinder co-founder Whitney Wolfe and Bumble |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/tinder-co-founder-whitney-wolfe-and-bumble-2015-1 |work=Business Insider |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Following her departure from Tinder, Wolfe Herd initially considered stepping away from the dating app industry entirely. However, she was approached by [[Andrey Andreev]], the Russian-British entrepreneur and founder of the social networking platform [[Badoo]], who proposed a partnership to build a new dating application.<ref name="forbes-billion">{{cite news |last=O'Connor |first=Clare |date=2017-11-14 |title=Billion-Dollar Bumble: How Whitney Wolfe Herd Built America's Fastest-Growing Dating App |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2017/11/14/billion-dollar-bumble-how-whitney-wolfe-herd-built-americas-fastest-growing-dating-app/#1cb7bf24248b |work=Forbes |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In June 2014, Wolfe departed from Tinder and subsequently filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the company and several of its executives, including co-founder Justin Mateen.<ref>{{cite news |date=2014-07 |title=Tinder: Whitney Wolfe, Sean Rad, Justin Mateen Sexual Harassment Suit |url=http://heavy.com/tech/2014/07/tinder-whitney-wolfe-sean-rad-justin-mateen-sexual-harassment-suit/ |work=Heavy |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The lawsuit alleged that Wolfe had been subjected to sexist remarks and harassing text messages and that her co-founder title had been stripped because, according to the suit, the company's leadership believed that having a young female co-founder "makes the company look like a joke."<ref>{{cite news |date=2014-07 |title=Tinder: Whitney Wolfe, Sean Rad, Justin Mateen Sexual Harassment Suit |url=http://heavy.com/tech/2014/07/tinder-whitney-wolfe-sean-rad-justin-mateen-sexual-harassment-suit/ |work=Heavy |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The case drew widespread media attention and became part of a larger national conversation about sexism and harassment in the technology industry. In November 2014, the lawsuit was settled for a reported amount of just over one million dollars, and Wolfe did not receive an admission of wrongdoing from Tinder or its parent company.<ref>{{cite news |date=2014-11 |title=Whitney Wolfe settles sexual harassment Tinder lawsuit for $1 million |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/whitney-wolfe-settles-sexual-harassment-tinder-lawsuit-1-million-2014-11 |work=Business Insider |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The settlement included terms that prevented Wolfe from discussing certain details of the case publicly.<ref>{{cite news |date=2015-12-02 |title=Whitney Wolfe, founder of dating app Bumble, has had quite the year. She just can't discuss parts of it. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2015/12/02/whitney-wolfe-founder-of-dating-app-bumble-has-had-quite-the-year-she-just-cant-discuss-parts-of-it/ |work=The Washington Post |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Wolfe Herd founded Bumble in 2014, headquartering the company in [[Austin]], [[Texas]].<ref name="atxwoman">{{cite web |title=Whitney Wolfe |url=https://atxwoman.com/whitney-wolfe/ |publisher=ATX Woman |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The app's defining feature was its requirement that women make the first move in heterosexual matches — a design choice intended to address what Wolfe Herd described as the pervasive problem of unwanted messages and harassment that women experienced on other dating platforms.<ref name="guardian" /> In conversations with same-sex matches, either party could initiate contact.


=== Founding of Bumble ===
Wolfe Herd has stated that her original vision for Bumble extended beyond dating. Speaking at [[South by Southwest]] (SXSW) in 2018, she said, "What I originally wanted to do with Bumble is rewrite the Internet," attributing the company's success to its fundamental belief that women should be able to make the "first move" in romantic connections.<ref name="sxsw">{{cite web |title="What I originally wanted to do with Bumble is rewrite the Internet." - Whitney Wolfe Herd |url=https://sxsw.com/interactive/2018/sxsw-2018-featured-speaker-whitney-wolfe-herd-in-conversation-with-gayle-king-video/ |publisher=SXSW |date=2018 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Following her departure from Tinder, Wolfe initially considered stepping away from the dating app space entirely. However, she was approached by [[Andrey Andreev]], the Russian-British entrepreneur who founded the social networking platform [[Badoo]], about creating a new dating product.<ref>{{cite news |date=2017-11-14 |title=Billion-Dollar Bumble: How Whitney Wolfe Herd Built America's Fastest-Growing Dating App |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2017/11/14/billion-dollar-bumble-how-whitney-wolfe-herd-built-americas-fastest-growing-dating-app/#1cb7bf24248b |work=Forbes |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> With Andreev's financial backing and technical infrastructure through Badoo's parent company, Wolfe founded Bumble in 2014 and launched the app in December of that year.
The app distinguished itself in a crowded dating app market through this women-first approach, as well as through features such as time-limited matches (conversations expired if not initiated within 24 hours) and photo verification. Bumble grew rapidly, attracting millions of users and establishing itself as the primary competitor to Tinder in the United States.<ref name="forbes-billion" /><ref name="vf-bumble">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2015-08 |title=Bumble App: Whitney Wolfe |url=http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2015/08/bumble-app-whitney-wolfe |work=Vanity Fair |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


The defining feature of Bumble was its requirement that, in heterosexual matches, women must send the first message within 24 hours of matching or the connection expires.<ref>{{cite news |date=2015-04-12 |title=Bumble: the dating app where women call the shots |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/apr/12/bumble-dating-app-women-call-shots-whitney-wolfe |work=The Guardian |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Wolfe Herd described this feature as a mechanism to shift the power dynamics of online dating and reduce the volume of unwanted or harassing messages that women frequently received on other platforms. Speaking at SXSW in 2018, Wolfe Herd stated, "What I originally wanted to do with Bumble is rewrite the Internet," attributing the company's success to its fundamental belief that women should be able to make the "first move" in romantic connections.<ref>{{cite web |title=SXSW 2018 Featured Speaker: Whitney Wolfe Herd in Conversation with Gayle King |url=https://sxsw.com/interactive/2018/sxsw-2018-featured-speaker-whitney-wolfe-herd-in-conversation-with-gayle-king-video/ |publisher=SXSW |date=2018 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
=== Expanding Bumble Beyond Dating ===


Bumble grew rapidly following its launch. ''Forbes'' profiled the app in 2017, describing it as "America's Fastest-Growing Dating App" and noting that Wolfe Herd had built a significant business in a relatively short period of time.<ref>{{cite news |date=2017-11-14 |title=Billion-Dollar Bumble: How Whitney Wolfe Herd Built America's Fastest-Growing Dating App |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2017/11/14/billion-dollar-bumble-how-whitney-wolfe-herd-built-americas-fastest-growing-dating-app/#1cb7bf24248b |work=Forbes |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The app expanded beyond dating to include modes for friendship (Bumble BFF) and professional networking (Bumble Bizz), reflecting Wolfe Herd's broader ambitions for the platform as a social networking tool rather than simply a dating application.
Under Wolfe Herd's leadership, Bumble expanded beyond romantic connections. The platform introduced Bumble BFF, a feature for finding platonic friendships, and Bumble Bizz, a networking tool designed to facilitate professional connections. These additions reflected Wolfe Herd's broader ambition to create a platform that addressed multiple dimensions of human connection, not solely dating.<ref name="npr">{{cite web |title=NPR Transcript: Whitney Wolfe Herd |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=557437086 |publisher=NPR |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Wolfe Herd headquartered Bumble in [[Austin, Texas]], and built its brand identity around themes of women's empowerment and online safety.<ref>{{cite news |date=2017-03-18 |title=Bumble, the feminist dating app |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/18/fashion/bumble-feminist-dating-app-whitney-wolfe.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The company's marketing positioned it as a feminist alternative in the dating app market, a framing that ''The New York Times'' explored in a 2017 profile. ''Vanity Fair'' also profiled Wolfe and the app in 2015, noting its distinctive approach to online dating.<ref>{{cite news |date=2015-08 |title=Bumble App: Whitney Wolfe |url=http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2015/08/bumble-app-whitney-wolfe |work=Vanity Fair |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Wolfe Herd also advocated for legislative changes aimed at curbing online harassment. She worked with legislators in Texas to support a bill that would outlaw unsolicited sexually explicit images, a common form of harassment on dating platforms. The effort reflected her stated commitment to using technology and policy to create safer digital spaces.<ref name="texasmonthly">{{cite news |last= |first= |date= |title=Texas May Outlaw Unsolicited Sexual Images. Would That Be Enforceable, and Does It Even Matter? |url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/news/texas-may-outlaw-unsolicited-sexual-images-would-that-be-enforceable-and-does-it-even-matter/ |work=Texas Monthly |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Under Wolfe Herd's leadership, Bumble also engaged in legislative advocacy. In Texas, the company supported efforts to outlaw the sending of unsolicited sexual images, a practice commonly referred to as "cyberflashing." The state of Texas subsequently passed legislation addressing this issue, a move that Bumble publicly supported and that Wolfe Herd championed as part of the company's mission to create safer online spaces.<ref>{{cite news |title=Texas may outlaw unsolicited sexual images. Would that be enforceable, and does it even matter? |url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/news/texas-may-outlaw-unsolicited-sexual-images-would-that-be-enforceable-and-does-it-even-matter/ |work=Texas Monthly |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
By 2017, ''Forbes'' described Bumble as "America's fastest-growing dating app," noting its billion-dollar valuation and its emergence as a major force in the technology and social media industries.<ref name="forbes-billion" />


=== Bumble IPO and Public Company Leadership ===
=== Bumble IPO and Public Company Leadership ===


On February 11, 2021, Bumble Inc. went public on the [[Nasdaq]] stock exchange under the ticker symbol BMBL. The [[initial public offering]] was a landmark event, and Wolfe Herd, then 31 years old, became one of the youngest women to take a company public in the United States.<ref>{{cite news |date=2021-02-11 |title=Bumble IPO: CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd |url=https://fortune.com/2021/02/11/bumble-ipo-ceo-whitney-wolfe-herd-bmbl-stock-shares-interview-app-initial-public-offering/ |work=Fortune |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> ''Management Today'' reported that, following the IPO, Wolfe Herd became the world's youngest female self-made billionaire based on her ownership stake in the company.<ref>{{cite web |title=How Whitney Wolfe Herd became the world's youngest female self-made billionaire |url=https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/whitney-wolfe-herd-became-worlds-youngest-female-self-made-billionaire/women-in-business/article/1707471 |publisher=Management Today |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> She held approximately 23 million shares of Bumble Inc.
On February 11, 2021, Bumble, Inc. went public on the [[Nasdaq]] stock exchange under the ticker symbol BMBL. The initial public offering (IPO) was a landmark event that made Wolfe Herd, at age 31, one of the youngest women to take a company public in the United States.<ref name="fortune-ipo" /> The IPO was also notable because Wolfe Herd was the youngest woman to serve as CEO of a publicly traded company at the time.<ref name="mgmt-today">{{cite web |title=How Whitney Wolfe Herd became the world's youngest female self-made billionaire |url=https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/whitney-wolfe-herd-became-worlds-youngest-female-self-made-billionaire/women-in-business/article/1707471 |publisher=Management Today |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Wolfe Herd served as CEO of Bumble following the IPO, guiding the company through its transition to a publicly traded entity. She later stepped away from the day-to-day CEO role before returning to the position. In May 2025, ''The New York Times'' reported on her return to running the company, noting that she had "returned to run the struggling company she founded" and said she had "a plan for getting Gen Z back."<ref>{{cite news |date=2025-05-10 |title='The Interview': Can Whitney Wolfe Herd Make Us Love Dating Apps Again? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/10/magazine/whitney-wolfe-herd-interview.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> This return came amid broader challenges facing the dating app industry, including declining engagement among younger users and growing skepticism about the role of dating apps in modern life.
On its first day of trading, Bumble's share price surged significantly, and the company's market capitalization reached approximately $13 billion. The strong debut made Wolfe Herd a billionaire, with ''Management Today'' reporting that she became the world's youngest female self-made billionaire.<ref name="mgmt-today" /> She owns approximately 23 million shares of Bumble, Inc.


=== AI and the Future of Bumble ===
=== Departure and Return as CEO ===


Following her return to the CEO role, Wolfe Herd signaled a strategic pivot toward [[artificial intelligence]] as a core component of Bumble's future. In August 2025, ''The Wall Street Journal'' reported that Wolfe Herd had "a new idea for Bumble—and all our relationships," centered on the integration of AI into the platform's matching and relationship-building features.<ref>{{cite news |date=2025-08-29 |title=Whitney Wolfe Herd Has a New Idea for Bumble—and All Our Relationships |url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/whitney-wolfe-herd-bumble-ai-398779bb |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In the same interview, Wolfe Herd made the candid admission that she "would never have swiped right on her husband," using this personal anecdote to argue that algorithmic and AI-driven matching could potentially produce better relationship outcomes than traditional swipe-based systems.
After leading Bumble through its IPO and early years as a public company, Wolfe Herd stepped back from the day-to-day CEO role. However, by 2025, she returned to active leadership of the company amid challenges facing the dating app industry more broadly. In a May 2025 interview with ''The New York Times'', she discussed her plans for reinvigorating Bumble and addressing a decline in dating app usage among [[Generation Z]].<ref name="nyt-interview-2025" />


Wolfe Herd has also spoken publicly about wanting technology to address broader societal issues. ''Time'' magazine featured her in a conversation about using technology to combat loneliness, a topic she has increasingly centered in her public remarks about Bumble's mission and the future of social platforms.<ref>{{cite web |title=Whitney Wolfe Herd Wants Technology to Cure Loneliness |url=https://time.com/collections/person-of-the-week-podcast/6289603/whitney-wolfe-herd-interview-person-of-the-week/ |publisher=Time |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In an August 2025 interview with ''The Wall Street Journal'', Wolfe Herd discussed new directions for Bumble, including the integration of [[artificial intelligence]] into the platform's matchmaking capabilities. She made the notable confession that she "would never have swiped right on her husband," suggesting that traditional swipe-based mechanics may be insufficient for creating meaningful connections and that AI could play a role in improving outcomes for users.<ref name="wsj-2025">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2025-08-29 |title=Exclusive: Whitney Wolfe Herd Has a New Idea for Bumble—and All Our Relationships |url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/whitney-wolfe-herd-bumble-ai-398779bb |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
 
Wolfe Herd has stated that she views the challenge of modern loneliness as a central problem that technology can help address. In a ''Time'' interview, she discussed her belief that technology, when designed thoughtfully, can serve as a cure for loneliness rather than a contributor to it.<ref name="time-loneliness">{{cite web |title=Whitney Wolfe Herd Wants Technology to Cure Loneliness |url=https://time.com/collections/person-of-the-week-podcast/6289603/whitney-wolfe-herd-interview-person-of-the-week/ |publisher=Time |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Personal Life ==
== Personal Life ==


Whitney Wolfe married Michael Herd, adopting the surname Wolfe Herd. The couple have two children.<ref>{{cite news |date=2025-05-10 |title='The Interview': Can Whitney Wolfe Herd Make Us Love Dating Apps Again? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/10/magazine/whitney-wolfe-herd-interview.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Wolfe Herd has been based in Austin, Texas, where Bumble is headquartered.
Whitney Wolfe Herd is based in [[Austin]], [[Texas]], where Bumble is headquartered.<ref name="atxwoman" /> She has two children. Wolfe Herd has been open about the challenges of balancing leadership of a major technology company with parenthood, a topic she has discussed in various media interviews.


Much of Wolfe Herd's personal narrative has been shaped by her public experience with the Tinder lawsuit and its aftermath. The ''Washington Post'' noted in 2015 that she "has had quite the year" but "just can't discuss parts of it," referencing the confidentiality terms of her legal settlement with Tinder.<ref>{{cite news |date=2015-12-02 |title=Whitney Wolfe, founder of dating app Bumble, has had quite the year. She just can't discuss parts of it. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2015/12/02/whitney-wolfe-founder-of-dating-app-bumble-has-had-quite-the-year-she-just-cant-discuss-parts-of-it/ |work=The Washington Post |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Despite these constraints, Wolfe Herd has spoken openly about how the experience influenced both her personal outlook and her approach to building Bumble as a platform with a focus on women's safety and empowerment.
Details about Wolfe Herd's personal relationships have been addressed in media coverage primarily in the context of her professional narrative. In her 2025 interview with ''The Wall Street Journal'', she referenced her husband, noting that the couple's connection illustrated the limitations of algorithm-based matching and swiping mechanics.<ref name="wsj-2025" />
 
Much of Wolfe Herd's public profile has been shaped by her experience at Tinder and the subsequent lawsuit. Due to the terms of her 2014 settlement with Tinder, she has been restricted from publicly discussing many details of that period, a limitation she acknowledged in a 2015 interview with ''The Washington Post''.<ref name="wapo-2015" />


== Recognition ==
== Recognition ==


Wolfe Herd has received significant recognition for her work in the technology industry. In 2018, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine named her to its annual list of the 100 Most Influential People, placing her among a select group of business leaders, politicians, and cultural figures recognized for their global impact.<ref>{{cite web |title=Whitney Wolfe Herd: 2018 Time 100 |url=https://time.com/collection/most-influential-people-2018/5217594/whitney-wolfe-herd/ |publisher=Time |date=2018 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Wolfe Herd has received numerous honors and accolades throughout her career. In 2014, ''Business Insider'' named her one of the "30 Most Important Women Under 30 in Tech."<ref name="bi-30">{{cite web |title=30 Most Important Women Under 30 in Tech |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/30-most-important-women-under-30-in-tech-2014-2014-8 |publisher=Business Insider |date=2014-08 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In 2014, ''Business Insider'' included Wolfe on its list of the 30 Most Important Women Under 30 in Tech, a recognition that came even as she was in the midst of her departure from Tinder and the founding of Bumble.<ref>{{cite web |title=30 Most Important Women Under 30 in Tech |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/30-most-important-women-under-30-in-tech-2014-2014-8 |publisher=Business Insider |date=2014-08 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In 2018, ''Time'' magazine included Wolfe Herd on its annual list of the 100 Most Influential People in the world, recognizing her impact on the technology and dating industries.<ref name="time100" /> Her inclusion on the list acknowledged both the commercial success of Bumble and its cultural significance as a platform that shifted norms around gender dynamics in online dating.


NPR featured Wolfe Herd in an interview discussing her career trajectory and the founding of Bumble, bringing her story to a national radio audience.<ref>{{cite web |title=Whitney Wolfe Herd NPR Interview |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=557437086 |publisher=NPR |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Following the Bumble IPO in 2021, Wolfe Herd received widespread recognition as one of the youngest women to lead a company to a public offering and was described as the world's youngest female self-made billionaire by multiple publications.<ref name="mgmt-today" /><ref name="fortune-ipo" />


Wolfe Herd's story has also entered popular culture. In September 2025, a dramatized account of her time at Tinder and the founding of Bumble was released as the film ''Swiped'' on Hulu. ''Time'' magazine published a detailed account of "The True Story Behind ''Swiped'', Whitney Wolfe Herd, and the Birth of Bumble," and ''Fortune'' noted that the film focused primarily on her Tinder years rather than the building of Bumble itself.<ref>{{cite news |date=2025-09-19 |title=The True Story Behind Swiped, Whitney Wolfe Herd, and the Birth of Bumble |url=https://time.com/7314564/swiped-true-story-whitney-wolfe-herd-bumble/ |work=Time |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=2025-09-29 |title='Swiped' movie misses Bumble's story |url=https://fortune.com/2025/09/29/swiped-bumble-movie-tinder-whitney-wolfe-herd/ |work=Fortune |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> ''Biography'' similarly profiled her in connection with the film, noting that she "helped launch the dating app revolution with Tinder" in 2012 before launching "a competitor: Bumble" two years later.<ref>{{cite news |date=2025-09-22 |title=Whitney Wolfe Helped Make Tinder a Success. Then She Created Its Fiercest Competitor. |url=https://www.biography.com/business-leaders/a66106070/swiped-true-story-whitney-wolfe-herd-bumble |work=Biography |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
''Paper'' magazine, ''Grazia'', and numerous other publications have profiled Wolfe Herd extensively, with coverage focusing on her role in transforming the dating app industry and her advocacy for women's safety in digital spaces.<ref name="paper">{{cite web |title=Whitney Wolfe Bumble |url=http://www.papermag.com/whitney-wolfe-bumble-it-girls-1647547057.html |publisher=Paper |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref name="grazia">{{cite web |title=Whitney Wolfe: Tinder to Bumble |url=https://graziadaily.co.uk/life/real-life/whitney-wolfe-tinder-bumble/ |publisher=Grazia |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


She has been profiled by numerous publications including ''[[The Washington Post]]'', ''[[The New York Times]]'', ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'', ''[[Forbes]]'', ''[[Paper (magazine)|Paper]]'', and ''[[Grazia]]'', among others.<ref>{{cite news |date=2015-10-23 |title=Meet Bumble chief executive Whitney Wolfe |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-live/wp/2015/10/23/meet-bumble-chief-executive-whitney-wolfe/ |work=The Washington Post |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Whitney Wolfe: Bumble |url=http://www.papermag.com/whitney-wolfe-bumble-it-girls-1647547057.html |publisher=Paper |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Whitney Wolfe: Tinder to Bumble |url=https://graziadaily.co.uk/life/real-life/whitney-wolfe-tinder-bumble/ |publisher=Grazia |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In 2025, Wolfe Herd's story was adapted into the Hulu film ''Swiped'', which dramatized her experiences at Tinder and the founding of Bumble. ''Time'' magazine and other outlets covered the film, noting its portrayal of the events that led to the creation of one of the world's most prominent dating platforms.<ref name="time-swiped">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2025-09-19 |title=The True Story Behind Swiped, Whitney Wolfe Herd, and the Birth of Bumble |url=https://time.com/7314564/swiped-true-story-whitney-wolfe-herd-bumble/ |work=Time |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> ''Fortune'' reported on the film's focus, noting that ''Swiped'' concentrated primarily on Wolfe Herd's time at Tinder rather than her subsequent work building Bumble.<ref name="fortune-swiped">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2025-09-29 |title='Swiped' movie misses Bumble's story |url=https://fortune.com/2025/09/29/swiped-bumble-movie-tinder-whitney-wolfe-herd/ |work=Fortune |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Legacy ==
== Legacy ==


Whitney Wolfe Herd's career spans two of the most consequential developments in modern dating technology: the founding of Tinder, which mainstreamed the concept of mobile dating through swipe-based interaction, and the founding of Bumble, which introduced a model in which women initiate contact. Her trajectory from co-founding one of the most downloaded applications in the world, through a public sexual harassment lawsuit, to the creation of a competing platform that went public at a multi-billion dollar valuation has made her a frequently cited figure in discussions about women in technology, startup culture, and the intersection of feminism and business.
Whitney Wolfe Herd's career has been defined by two major contributions to the technology industry: her role in co-founding Tinder, which introduced swipe-based mobile dating to a mainstream audience, and her creation of Bumble, which introduced a women-first model to the dating app ecosystem.<ref name="biography" /><ref name="nyt-interview-2025" />


Bumble's "women make the first move" mechanic has been credited with shifting expectations around gender dynamics in online dating. The ''New York Times'' described Bumble in 2017 as a "feminist dating app," and the platform's approach has influenced the broader design philosophy of social applications aimed at creating safer environments for women.<ref>{{cite news |date=2017-03-18 |title=Bumble, the feminist dating app |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/18/fashion/bumble-feminist-dating-app-whitney-wolfe.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Bumble's design principle — requiring women to initiate contact — represented a deliberate challenge to the norms of online dating, where women often reported being overwhelmed by unsolicited messages. The app's approach influenced the broader dating industry, with competitors subsequently introducing features aimed at giving users, particularly women, more control over their experience.<ref name="guardian" /><ref name="nyt-2017" />


Wolfe Herd's advocacy for legislation banning unsolicited sexual images in Texas represented an early example of a technology company working directly with state legislatures on issues of digital harassment, a model that has since been adopted by other companies and jurisdictions.<ref>{{cite news |title=Texas may outlaw unsolicited sexual images. Would that be enforceable, and does it even matter? |url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/news/texas-may-outlaw-unsolicited-sexual-images-would-that-be-enforceable-and-does-it-even-matter/ |work=Texas Monthly |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Wolfe Herd's sexual harassment lawsuit against Tinder in 2014 also had a lasting impact on the technology industry's reckoning with workplace culture. Filed years before the [[Me Too movement]] brought widespread attention to sexual harassment and discrimination, the case was among the first high-profile lawsuits to publicly challenge the behavior of executives at a major Silicon Valley startup.<ref name="wapo-2015" /><ref name="heavy" />


As of 2025, with her return to the CEO role and her focus on integrating artificial intelligence into Bumble, Wolfe Herd continues to shape the direction of the online dating industry. Her public statements about technology's potential to address loneliness and improve human connection suggest a vision for the platform that extends beyond its origins as a dating application.
Her legislative advocacy for laws against unsolicited sexually explicit images — often referred to as cyberflashing — contributed to broader discussions about digital harassment and the responsibilities of technology platforms in protecting users.<ref name="texasmonthly" />
 
As of 2025, Wolfe Herd continues to lead Bumble as the company navigates a rapidly changing landscape in which dating app fatigue, particularly among younger users, poses a significant challenge. Her stated focus on integrating artificial intelligence and addressing the broader societal issue of loneliness reflects an evolution in her thinking about the role of technology in human connection.<ref name="wsj-2025" /><ref name="time-loneliness" />


== References ==
== References ==
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[[Category:People from Austin, Texas]]
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Latest revision as of 01:48, 24 February 2026


Whitney Wolfe Herd
Wolfe Herd in 2018
Whitney Wolfe Herd
BornWhitney Wolfe
1 7, 1989
BirthplaceSalt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
OccupationEntrepreneur, business executive
Known forFounder of Bumble, co-founder of Tinder
EducationSouthern Methodist University (BA)
Children2
AwardsTime 100 Most Influential People (2018)

Whitney Wolfe Herd (née Wolfe; born July 1, 1989) is an American entrepreneur and business executive who founded the dating application Bumble and serves as its executive chair and CEO. Before launching Bumble, she was a co-founder and Vice President of Marketing at Tinder, where she played a central role in building one of the first mainstream mobile dating platforms. Wolfe Herd's departure from Tinder in 2014 was accompanied by a high-profile sexual harassment lawsuit that drew widespread attention to workplace culture in the technology industry. She subsequently founded Bumble, a dating app distinguished by its requirement that women initiate conversations in heterosexual matches — a design choice rooted in Wolfe Herd's stated goal of shifting power dynamics in online dating.[1] In February 2021, Wolfe Herd took Bumble public on the Nasdaq, becoming one of the youngest women to take a company public in the United States.[2] She was named to the Time 100 list of most influential people in 2018 and has been recognized as one of the most prominent figures in the technology and dating industries.[3]

Early Life

Whitney Wolfe was born on July 1, 1989, in Salt Lake City, Utah.[4] She grew up in Utah before relocating to Texas for her higher education. Details about her family background and upbringing prior to college remain limited in publicly available sources.

While still a student at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Wolfe demonstrated entrepreneurial interests. She launched a clothing line called Tender Heart, which was covered by the university's campus newspaper, The SMU Daily Campus.[5] The venture reflected Wolfe's early inclination toward building consumer-facing brands, a skill set she would later apply in the technology sector.

After completing her studies at SMU, Wolfe moved to Los Angeles, where she entered the technology startup world. It was in this environment that she became involved with a group of entrepreneurs who were developing what would become Tinder, one of the most consequential mobile applications in the history of online dating.[6]

Education

Wolfe Herd attended Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree.[5] During her time at SMU, she was involved in entrepreneurial activities, including the launch of a clothing line. Her time at the university coincided with a period of growing interest in mobile technology and social networking platforms, and her post-graduation career trajectory led her directly into the technology startup ecosystem of Los Angeles.[6]

Career

Tinder (2012–2014)

In 2012, Whitney Wolfe joined a team of entrepreneurs working on a mobile dating application that would become Tinder.[4] She served as the company's Vice President of Marketing and is credited as a co-founder of the app. In her marketing role, Wolfe was instrumental in driving early user adoption of Tinder, particularly among college-aged users. She reportedly traveled to university campuses to promote the app, a grassroots marketing strategy that helped Tinder gain rapid traction among young adults.[7]

Tinder's introduction of the "swipe right" mechanic to indicate interest in a potential match fundamentally changed the landscape of online dating, transforming it from a desktop-centric activity into a mobile-first social experience.[8] The app grew to become one of the most downloaded applications worldwide, and Wolfe's marketing contributions were a significant factor in its early success.[4]

However, Wolfe's tenure at Tinder ended acrimoniously. In June 2014, she filed a lawsuit against Tinder and its parent company, alleging sexual harassment and discrimination by co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer Justin Mateen, as well as other senior executives at the company.[9] The lawsuit alleged that Mateen had sent Wolfe threatening and derogatory text messages and that she had been stripped of her co-founder title because the company's leadership felt that having a young female co-founder "ichael make the company look like a joke."[9]

The case attracted significant media attention and became one of the earliest high-profile sexual harassment claims in Silicon Valley's technology industry, predating the broader Me Too movement by several years.[10] In November 2014, the lawsuit was settled for a reported sum of just over one million dollars. As part of the settlement, Wolfe was prohibited from publicly discussing many details of the case.[11][10] Mateen was suspended from Tinder following the public disclosure of the lawsuit.[9]

Founding of Bumble (2014)

Following her departure from Tinder, Wolfe Herd initially considered stepping away from the dating app industry entirely. However, she was approached by Andrey Andreev, the Russian-British entrepreneur and founder of the social networking platform Badoo, who proposed a partnership to build a new dating application.[12]

Wolfe Herd founded Bumble in 2014, headquartering the company in Austin, Texas.[13] The app's defining feature was its requirement that women make the first move in heterosexual matches — a design choice intended to address what Wolfe Herd described as the pervasive problem of unwanted messages and harassment that women experienced on other dating platforms.[1] In conversations with same-sex matches, either party could initiate contact.

Wolfe Herd has stated that her original vision for Bumble extended beyond dating. Speaking at South by Southwest (SXSW) in 2018, she said, "What I originally wanted to do with Bumble is rewrite the Internet," attributing the company's success to its fundamental belief that women should be able to make the "first move" in romantic connections.[14]

The app distinguished itself in a crowded dating app market through this women-first approach, as well as through features such as time-limited matches (conversations expired if not initiated within 24 hours) and photo verification. Bumble grew rapidly, attracting millions of users and establishing itself as the primary competitor to Tinder in the United States.[12][15]

Expanding Bumble Beyond Dating

Under Wolfe Herd's leadership, Bumble expanded beyond romantic connections. The platform introduced Bumble BFF, a feature for finding platonic friendships, and Bumble Bizz, a networking tool designed to facilitate professional connections. These additions reflected Wolfe Herd's broader ambition to create a platform that addressed multiple dimensions of human connection, not solely dating.[16]

Wolfe Herd also advocated for legislative changes aimed at curbing online harassment. She worked with legislators in Texas to support a bill that would outlaw unsolicited sexually explicit images, a common form of harassment on dating platforms. The effort reflected her stated commitment to using technology and policy to create safer digital spaces.[17]

By 2017, Forbes described Bumble as "America's fastest-growing dating app," noting its billion-dollar valuation and its emergence as a major force in the technology and social media industries.[12]

Bumble IPO and Public Company Leadership

On February 11, 2021, Bumble, Inc. went public on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the ticker symbol BMBL. The initial public offering (IPO) was a landmark event that made Wolfe Herd, at age 31, one of the youngest women to take a company public in the United States.[2] The IPO was also notable because Wolfe Herd was the youngest woman to serve as CEO of a publicly traded company at the time.[18]

On its first day of trading, Bumble's share price surged significantly, and the company's market capitalization reached approximately $13 billion. The strong debut made Wolfe Herd a billionaire, with Management Today reporting that she became the world's youngest female self-made billionaire.[18] She owns approximately 23 million shares of Bumble, Inc.

Departure and Return as CEO

After leading Bumble through its IPO and early years as a public company, Wolfe Herd stepped back from the day-to-day CEO role. However, by 2025, she returned to active leadership of the company amid challenges facing the dating app industry more broadly. In a May 2025 interview with The New York Times, she discussed her plans for reinvigorating Bumble and addressing a decline in dating app usage among Generation Z.[8]

In an August 2025 interview with The Wall Street Journal, Wolfe Herd discussed new directions for Bumble, including the integration of artificial intelligence into the platform's matchmaking capabilities. She made the notable confession that she "would never have swiped right on her husband," suggesting that traditional swipe-based mechanics may be insufficient for creating meaningful connections and that AI could play a role in improving outcomes for users.[19]

Wolfe Herd has stated that she views the challenge of modern loneliness as a central problem that technology can help address. In a Time interview, she discussed her belief that technology, when designed thoughtfully, can serve as a cure for loneliness rather than a contributor to it.[20]

Personal Life

Whitney Wolfe Herd is based in Austin, Texas, where Bumble is headquartered.[13] She has two children. Wolfe Herd has been open about the challenges of balancing leadership of a major technology company with parenthood, a topic she has discussed in various media interviews.

Details about Wolfe Herd's personal relationships have been addressed in media coverage primarily in the context of her professional narrative. In her 2025 interview with The Wall Street Journal, she referenced her husband, noting that the couple's connection illustrated the limitations of algorithm-based matching and swiping mechanics.[19]

Much of Wolfe Herd's public profile has been shaped by her experience at Tinder and the subsequent lawsuit. Due to the terms of her 2014 settlement with Tinder, she has been restricted from publicly discussing many details of that period, a limitation she acknowledged in a 2015 interview with The Washington Post.[10]

Recognition

Wolfe Herd has received numerous honors and accolades throughout her career. In 2014, Business Insider named her one of the "30 Most Important Women Under 30 in Tech."[21]

In 2018, Time magazine included Wolfe Herd on its annual list of the 100 Most Influential People in the world, recognizing her impact on the technology and dating industries.[3] Her inclusion on the list acknowledged both the commercial success of Bumble and its cultural significance as a platform that shifted norms around gender dynamics in online dating.

Following the Bumble IPO in 2021, Wolfe Herd received widespread recognition as one of the youngest women to lead a company to a public offering and was described as the world's youngest female self-made billionaire by multiple publications.[18][2]

Paper magazine, Grazia, and numerous other publications have profiled Wolfe Herd extensively, with coverage focusing on her role in transforming the dating app industry and her advocacy for women's safety in digital spaces.[22][23]

In 2025, Wolfe Herd's story was adapted into the Hulu film Swiped, which dramatized her experiences at Tinder and the founding of Bumble. Time magazine and other outlets covered the film, noting its portrayal of the events that led to the creation of one of the world's most prominent dating platforms.[24] Fortune reported on the film's focus, noting that Swiped concentrated primarily on Wolfe Herd's time at Tinder rather than her subsequent work building Bumble.[25]

Legacy

Whitney Wolfe Herd's career has been defined by two major contributions to the technology industry: her role in co-founding Tinder, which introduced swipe-based mobile dating to a mainstream audience, and her creation of Bumble, which introduced a women-first model to the dating app ecosystem.[4][8]

Bumble's design principle — requiring women to initiate contact — represented a deliberate challenge to the norms of online dating, where women often reported being overwhelmed by unsolicited messages. The app's approach influenced the broader dating industry, with competitors subsequently introducing features aimed at giving users, particularly women, more control over their experience.[1][7]

Wolfe Herd's sexual harassment lawsuit against Tinder in 2014 also had a lasting impact on the technology industry's reckoning with workplace culture. Filed years before the Me Too movement brought widespread attention to sexual harassment and discrimination, the case was among the first high-profile lawsuits to publicly challenge the behavior of executives at a major Silicon Valley startup.[10][9]

Her legislative advocacy for laws against unsolicited sexually explicit images — often referred to as cyberflashing — contributed to broader discussions about digital harassment and the responsibilities of technology platforms in protecting users.[17]

As of 2025, Wolfe Herd continues to lead Bumble as the company navigates a rapidly changing landscape in which dating app fatigue, particularly among younger users, poses a significant challenge. Her stated focus on integrating artificial intelligence and addressing the broader societal issue of loneliness reflects an evolution in her thinking about the role of technology in human connection.[19][20]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 GarberMeganMegan"Bumble: the dating app where women call the shots".The Guardian.2015-04-12.https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/apr/12/bumble-dating-app-women-call-shots-whitney-wolfe.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Bumble IPO: CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd on BMBL stock, shares, and the app's initial public offering".Fortune.2021-02-11.https://fortune.com/2021/02/11/bumble-ipo-ceo-whitney-wolfe-herd-bmbl-stock-shares-interview-app-initial-public-offering/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Whitney Wolfe Herd: The 100 Most Influential People of 2018".Time.2018.https://time.com/collection/most-influential-people-2018/5217594/whitney-wolfe-herd/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Whitney Wolfe Helped Make Tinder a Success. Then She Created Its Fiercest Competitor.".Biography.2025-09-22.https://www.biography.com/business-leaders/a66106070/swiped-true-story-whitney-wolfe-herd-bumble.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "SMU Senior Whitney Wolfe Launches Second Business, Clothing Line Tender Heart".SMU Daily Campus.http://www.smudailycampus.com/news/smu-senior-whitney-wolfe-launches-second-business-clothing-line-tender-heart.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Tinder Co-Founder Whitney Wolfe and Bumble".Business Insider.2015-01.http://www.businessinsider.com/tinder-co-founder-whitney-wolfe-and-bumble-2015-1.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Bumble, the Feminist Dating App, and Whitney Wolfe".The New York Times.2017-03-18.https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/18/fashion/bumble-feminist-dating-app-whitney-wolfe.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "'The Interview': Can Whitney Wolfe Herd Make Us Love Dating Apps Again?".The New York Times.2025-05-10.https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/10/magazine/whitney-wolfe-herd-interview.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 "Tinder Whitney Wolfe Sean Rad Justin Mateen Sexual Harassment Suit".Heavy.2014-07.http://heavy.com/tech/2014/07/tinder-whitney-wolfe-sean-rad-justin-mateen-sexual-harassment-suit/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 "Whitney Wolfe, founder of dating app Bumble, has had quite the year. She just can't discuss parts of it.".The Washington Post.2015-12-02.https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2015/12/02/whitney-wolfe-founder-of-dating-app-bumble-has-had-quite-the-year-she-just-cant-discuss-parts-of-it/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  11. ↑ "Whitney Wolfe Settles Sexual Harassment Tinder Lawsuit for $1 Million".Business Insider.2014-11.https://www.businessinsider.com/whitney-wolfe-settles-sexual-harassment-tinder-lawsuit-1-million-2014-11.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 O'ConnorClareClare"Billion-Dollar Bumble: How Whitney Wolfe Herd Built America's Fastest-Growing Dating App".Forbes.2017-11-14.https://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2017/11/14/billion-dollar-bumble-how-whitney-wolfe-herd-built-americas-fastest-growing-dating-app/#1cb7bf24248b.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Whitney Wolfe".ATX Woman.https://atxwoman.com/whitney-wolfe/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  14. ↑ ""What I originally wanted to do with Bumble is rewrite the Internet." - Whitney Wolfe Herd".SXSW.2018.https://sxsw.com/interactive/2018/sxsw-2018-featured-speaker-whitney-wolfe-herd-in-conversation-with-gayle-king-video/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  15. ↑ "Bumble App: Whitney Wolfe".Vanity Fair.2015-08.http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2015/08/bumble-app-whitney-wolfe.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  16. ↑ "NPR Transcript: Whitney Wolfe Herd".NPR.https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=557437086.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Texas May Outlaw Unsolicited Sexual Images. Would That Be Enforceable, and Does It Even Matter?".Texas Monthly.https://www.texasmonthly.com/news/texas-may-outlaw-unsolicited-sexual-images-would-that-be-enforceable-and-does-it-even-matter/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 "How Whitney Wolfe Herd became the world's youngest female self-made billionaire".Management Today.https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/whitney-wolfe-herd-became-worlds-youngest-female-self-made-billionaire/women-in-business/article/1707471.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 "Exclusive: Whitney Wolfe Herd Has a New Idea for Bumble—and All Our Relationships".The Wall Street Journal.2025-08-29.https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/whitney-wolfe-herd-bumble-ai-398779bb.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Whitney Wolfe Herd Wants Technology to Cure Loneliness".Time.https://time.com/collections/person-of-the-week-podcast/6289603/whitney-wolfe-herd-interview-person-of-the-week/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  21. ↑ "30 Most Important Women Under 30 in Tech".Business Insider.2014-08.https://www.businessinsider.com/30-most-important-women-under-30-in-tech-2014-2014-8.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  22. ↑ "Whitney Wolfe Bumble".Paper.http://www.papermag.com/whitney-wolfe-bumble-it-girls-1647547057.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  23. ↑ "Whitney Wolfe: Tinder to Bumble".Grazia.https://graziadaily.co.uk/life/real-life/whitney-wolfe-tinder-bumble/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  24. ↑ "The True Story Behind Swiped, Whitney Wolfe Herd, and the Birth of Bumble".Time.2025-09-19.https://time.com/7314564/swiped-true-story-whitney-wolfe-herd-bumble/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  25. ↑ "'Swiped' movie misses Bumble's story".Fortune.2025-09-29.https://fortune.com/2025/09/29/swiped-bumble-movie-tinder-whitney-wolfe-herd/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.

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