Fighting against singleness while respecting the culture and values of the Arab world is the niche of Boowme, a matchmaking and relationship coaching app. On traditional dating apps, talking to multiple people at once can quickly become exhausting. Boowme has opted for a more targeted approach. Thanks to compatibility tests, the platform helps users quickly identify the profiles most in tune with their personality.
Conversations are limited to five at a time—a way to avoid information overload and encourage more authentic connections. In addition, its anti-ghosting feature allows users to exit a conversation more easily.
Behind this app, launched in 2024 and already counting over 40,000 monthly users, is Neila Meknassi, a passionate entrepreneur and devoted admirer of the Arab family—its generosity, unity, and spirit of mutual support. “I’ve always been fascinated by this cultural richness that forms our strength and our compass,” she says. “However, when it comes to marriage, young singles often find it difficult to talk about love and relationships with their parents and relatives, who are nonetheless our first points of reference and advisors in the search for the right partner,” she points out. Neila Meknassi then began to question how to reconcile modernity and tradition in the search for a life partner.
It was from this reflection that her project was born. After speaking with more than 500 singles, it became clear to her that existing matchmaking apps did not meet the cultural specificities of the Arab world. Instead of promoting lightness, Boowme aimed to embody “values of seriousness, respect, and authenticity,” she emphasizes.
A strategic turning point
Last February, the platform took a new step by joining the Sanabil Accelerator by Orbit, a collaboration with Sanabil Investments, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).
This is a pre-seed program aimed at tech startups, allowing high-potential founders to benefit from training, mentorship, and investment to grow in the MENA region.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to receive strategic guidance and crucial financial support for our expansion. Designed to offer lifelong support, it gives us access to expert advice that helps us refine our growth strategy and strengthen our market presence,” says Neila Meknassi. This support has also helped the platform gain visibility in Saudi Arabia and begin forming partnerships to establish a lasting presence in the region.
Written in French by News tech, edited in English by Eric Nielson
