The Dating App Rewriting the Rules of Love | Ep 309 with Sergio Giles Founder of Date Draft

Episode notes

Sergio Giles joins Founder’s Story to discuss why so many people are frustrated with traditional dating apps and how Date Draft introduces a new sports-inspired model to online dating. Drawing from his NFL fandom, Sergio reframes dating as “drafting,” “scouting,” and even “trading,” creating a more interactive, gamified experience that moves beyond endless swiping and repetitive chats. Key Discussion Points: Sergio shares how his own experiences on dating apps revealed a major flaw: users don’t meaningfully interact until after matching, and burnout quickly sets in. That insight led to the creation of the “Trade Room,” a feature that allows users to trade matches and act as matchmakers, adding a social layer to dating. The app assigns members to different “rounds” based on interests and education, using an algorithm to create compatibility tiers. Sergio also discusses the psychological tightrope of building a dating product, balancing innovation with responsibility while avoiding features that could create negativity or defamation. Takeaways: Date Draft positions itself not just as another dating app, but as a new social experience that blends gaming psychology with matchmaking.