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human
Techstars '22Nashville, US · Founded 2021 · 2 employees on LinkedIn · 2 known investors
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A dating and relationship platform that uses patent-pending technology to help users find compatible partners based on unconscious preferences rather than traditional surveys. The platform targets people seeking deeper, long-term connections across diverse backgrounds and demographics.
Also known as human · myhumanapp
Investors · 2
How we know: the Techstars portfolio · open dataset · Top 3000 Accelerator Startups (no YC) 2026-08 · Not right? Tell us
How we know: funding news · Not right? Tell us
Funding
SEC filings, press & company announcements- Undisclosed amountseed roundJan 2026Source ↗
Source: company announcements and press reports — follow each round's link for the claim.
Company profile
researched Sep 2026human is a relationship and dating platform that positions itself as a "human connection platform" for people seeking long-term partnership rather than casual matching. Instead of traditional questionnaires and swiping, the company says its patent-pending technology process accounts for users' unconscious wants and needs, and creates member profiles from real online activity so that profiles are truthful and users are not required to summarize their personality in a few sentences. The platform is presented as inclusive across age, race, gender, partner preference and background.
The company was founded by Dawn Cornelius, who serves as founder and CEO and is the author of the company's blog. Media appearances have described the product as an artificial intelligence dating app, with the founder saying it leverages AI, machine learning and predictive analytics aimed at people over 30 and busy professionals looking to establish deep connections. As of the company's website, a beta version is open and a new version is in progress, with a waitlist for notification. The company also sells branded merchandise through an online shop.
Founding story
Founder and CEO Dawn Cornelius has stated she spent about eight years researching the challenges of existing relationship solutions, concluding that they present barriers for people over 30 and busy professionals seeking deep connections, and positioned human as a technology-led alternative for people looking for a "forever person."
Business model
human operates a consumer relationship platform, offering a free-to-join beta and waitlist signup on its website. It also runs an online shop selling branded apparel and accessories such as hoodies ($38.89 and up), tees ($24.99 and up), embroidered tees ($26.99 and up), beanies ($23.89) and pride-themed items.
Publicly visible monetization is limited to branded merchandise sold through the company's online shop; the platform itself is presented as open for beta signup.
Latest developments
The website states that a beta version is open and that a new version is coming, with a waitlist for early notification. The most recent dated company blog post is from April 2023.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
human is an early-stage consumer dating and relationship product competing with conventional survey- and swipe-based dating apps, which it explicitly positions itself against.
The company differentiates on skipping traditional surveys and swipe-based matching, instead using a patent-pending process that it says considers unconscious wants and needs and builds profiles from users' real online activity, which it presents as a safeguard against fake or superficial profiles. It also emphasizes inclusivity across age, race, gender, partner preference and background.
Technology
The company describes a patent-pending technology process that considers users' unconscious wants and needs rather than survey responses, and press coverage describes the use of artificial intelligence, machine learning and predictive analytics, including AI that builds a member's profile from their real online activity.
Go-to-market
Go-to-market has centered on founder-led media: podcast interviews (That Girl the Podcast, The Feel Inspired Podcast), local broadcast coverage on Denver7, and trade press including the Nashville Post, alongside a website waitlist and newsletter signup for the beta and a forthcoming new version.
Adults seeking long-term, committed relationships — described in press as people over 30 and busy professionals — across a range of ages, races, genders, partner preferences and backgrounds.
Geography
The company has been covered as a Nashville-area startup and participated in the Build In Tulsa Techstars Accelerator in Oklahoma.
History
Founder Dawn Cornelius has said she spent roughly eight years researching the shortcomings of existing relationship solutions before launching the company. Press coverage of the app began with a Nashville Post article in November 2021. A pilot product, described by the founder as a scrappy simulation of the eventual experience, opened in March 2022, with a mobile app and fuller experience targeted for that summer. In April 2022 the company added an advisory board of leaders from tech and dating. In August 2022 human was selected as one of 12 startups for the inaugural class of the Build In Tulsa Techstars Accelerator. The company's press page also notes a $50,000 investment announced in a conversation with Samuel Adetunji, investor and founder of Veriheal. Blog posts continued through April 2023.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Related companies · 2
Companies working in the same space as human.
Timeline · 6
launches, deals, and filingshuman was selected, after screening, interviews and diligence, as one of 12 startups in the inaugural class of the Build In Tulsa Techstars Accelerator, run in partnership with Build In Tulsa.
The company announced the addition of advisors named Elliott, Daniel and Felice, described by founder Dawn Cornelius as leaders with experience across tech and dating.
The company opened a pilot described by the founder as scrappy and a simulation of the eventual product, with a mobile app and fuller experience planned for later in 2022.
The company's press page announces a $50,000 investment, referenced in a conversation with Samuel Adetunji, investor and founder of Veriheal.
$50K source ↗
Nashville Post reported on the app, with founder Dawn Cornelius describing it as leveraging AI, machine learning and predictive analytics for users seeking a 'forever person'.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- humanmyhumanapp.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does human do?
- human is a Nashville-founded dating app using patent-pending, AI-driven matching based on unconscious preferences rather than surveys.
- Who are human's investors?
- human's investors include Techstars, Antler.
- Where is human headquartered?
- human is headquartered in Nashville, US.