Priyanka Chopra's now an investor in Bumble. Here's all you need to know about the dating app

In a tweet on Wednesday, global star Priyanka Chopra announced her partnership with dating app Bumble and Holberton School in San Francisco, a project-based alternative to college for software engineers. "I'm honored to join two companies that strive to expand gender diversity in the tech space, and make a social impact for the greater good... let's do this!!" said Chopra who will be part of the Bumble team as partner, advisor and investor.

The US-based billion dollar startup - a rival to popular dating app, Tinder - will launch in India later this year. It is expected to take off like Tinder had done after its launch in 2013. Tinder grew in such a momentum that it opened its first international office in Delhi.  

But, what makes Bumble different from existing dating apps like Tinder and OkCupid? Why is Priyanka Chopra interested in it?

To begin with, Priyanka Chopra believes that to invest in women is the key to economic growth and social transformation. "In working with Whitney (Bumble founder) and her team over the past year, I'm inspired by the real, positive change Bumble is creating and I'm proud to have the opportunity to contribute to this movement as a partner," she said.

Which brings us to Bumble. Bumble was founded in 2014 by Whitney Wolfe Herd. Herd, who was the co-founder of Tinder, founded Bumble after leaving the former dating app.  The dating app has been touted as a feminist dating app. Like Tinder, Bumble is also a location-based dating app but it differs on one major point - only women can establish first contact via messages with matched male users. In case of same-sex matches, either person can sent messages across.

A new chapter for me! I am so excited to partner with @bumble and @holbertonschool as an investor. I'm honored to join two companies that strive to expand gender diversity in the tech space, and make a social impact for the greater good... let's do this!! pic.twitter.com/xBdC13XE0n

- PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) October 4, 2018

Bumble had 22 million users by November 2017. According to an earlier survey, 46.2% of its users were female. Bumble is now valued at more than $1 billion, as per Forbes.

In a statement from Bumble, Chopra said, "Women want love, they want friendship and they want to find a career, and that's the uniqueness of what Bumble delivers - a digital community that encompasses all that, while empowering women to take charge of their lives."

It is also a strategic move on Chopra's part as Bumble is all set to launch in India by the end of this year. It spent the last 9 months laying the groundwork from building a local team, defining a go-to market strategy to engaging in market key partners. The dating app will also tweak specific features to cater to local user experience, according to a report in Financial Express. The app will be made available on iOS and Android in both Hinglish and Hindi.

(Edited by Anwesha Madhukalya)