15M monthly users and only ~9% paying. You can't add many more guys — the game is making the base worth more. Five concrete bets on how.
A concept deck for Grindr leadership — by Jarrod Wolf · Founder & Head of AI
Swipe →
The business case · 01
Growth used to mean more users. Now it means more revenue per user.
Lever 01 · PenetrationJust ~9% of 15M monthly users pay — 1.4M as of Q1 '26. Every new reason to open the app is a fresh shot at converting the other 91%.
Lever 02 · ARPPUAbout $26/mo per paying user today. New gates and premium filters move power users up the tiers.
Lever 03 · New linesRevenue that doesn't exist yet — a travel tier, and B2B partners paying to reach the community.
The business case · 02
Here's what we'd build. Five bets, one line each.
01 · HeatThe grid becomes a live, ephemeral feed of the guys around you — watch, react, see who's into you.
02 · LaterScheduling — set when you're free, see who's around then, and share availability in chat.
03 · Creator AlbumsA creator's photo album surfaced natively to matched users — a new, native ad unit.
04 · PassportA travel mode — set a city and dates, and Grindr becomes your trip companion.
05 · CruiseA geofence that drops a whole ship or festival onto one live grid — a pop-up gayborhood. B2B at sea.
The business case · 03
Each bet pulls a specific lever.
01 · HeatPenetration + ARPPU. "Who reacted" is an upgrade trigger at peak intent — and the feed fights churn.
02 · LaterRetention → LTV. Scheduled plans pull users back on a cadence; "free later" is a paid filter.
03 · Creator AlbumsA native ad unit. Creators pay to place AI-matched albums — high-margin ad revenue, not a subscription.
04 · PassportA new paid plan. Travel is peak willingness-to-pay, plus hotel commerce in a $300B+ market.
05 · CruiseB2B revenue. Cruise lines and festivals pay to light up their sailing — no subscription ceiling.
The business case · 04
What it's worth — and it drops to the bottom line.
+1 pt of free-to-paid conversion≈ 150K new payers — about $47M a year, ~11% of FY25 revenue, from one lever.
+$3/mo on ARPPU≈ $50M a year across ~1.4M payers — without adding a single body.
And it's nearly all marginAds and subscriptions drop into a ~43% Adj. EBITDA model — and on a growth multiple, recurring revenue compounds into shareholder value.
Rough math on the latest reported base — ~15M MAU, 1.4M paying (~9%), ~$26/mo ARPPU (Q1 ’26), against Grindr’s ~44% Adjusted EBITDA margin. Illustrative, not a forecast. The two levers above and the per-concept ranges ahead are two views of the same base — not additive.
01
Heat
Share some heat. Get them hot.
Est. annual opportunity$15–40M/yrConversion + premium native ads · illustrative
Concept 01 · Heat
The static grid becomes a living, breathing feed.
What it isRight Now proved the appetite — 20–25% of users already post weekly. Heat graduates it into the grid itself: ephemeral posts, gone in 24h.
For usersEntertainment first, arousal always. Every open is something new and someone hot — watch, react, reply. Every post proves he's real and here now.
For GrindrA new way to convert free users. "See who reacted" is the upgrade, sold the moment someone's into you. With Match's $100M behind Sniffies, owning live intent is the moat.
gAI, nextEvery tap teaches gAI what turns each user on — the feed ranks to it.
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Explore more profiles
PositionOnlineAge
Alex
Mason
Ethan
Drew
Lucas
Brandon
Nico
Tyler
Jay
Dylan
Chris
Jalen
Elliot
Omar
Ben
Heat · 1 of 4A tile glows and shows a ▶ when he's dropped some heat — the same grid, suddenly alive. Tap Alex's glowing tile.
Alex, 24
1.2 mi away · 2h ago
🔥
beach days > everything 🌊☀️
👀 198 views
🔥😍👀😏✨
Message Alex…
⚡
Heat · 2 of 4Tap in — react, then chat. A reaction is a warm opener, not a cold DM.
✕Drop some heat⚡
gym's done. who's pouring? 🍸
EveryoneFavoritesOnline now
Ephemeral · gone in 24h · viewers can react & reply
🔥 Post to the grid
Heat · 3 of 4Posting is three taps — shoot, caption, pick exactly who sees it. Ephemeral by default, so the grid feeds itself all day.
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Your post is heating up
6 guys reacted in the last hour
🔥
Dev, 27
0.5 mi · Online now
Chat
😍
Kai, 31
1.2 mi away
Chat
Andre, 26
0.9 mi away
Chat
Tomás, 38
2.1 mi away
Chat
Liam, 24
1.5 mi away
Chat
🔒
4 more guys are into your post
See who reacted
UNLOCK WITH GRINDR XTRA
Heat · 4 of 4"Who reacted" — show two, gate the rest. The upgrade trigger — tap it to convert.
Heat · the ad math
The grid owns the attention. A feed makes it inventory.
The attentionGrindr leads social on engagement — ~70 min/day, ~8 opens/day.
The inventoryNative + Rewarded ads already run — a feed extends them at a 1-in-8 load, plus Boosts and Xtra.
The impressions~6M DAU × ~20 posts seen × ~12% load ≈ 5B+ impressions a year.
The revenueAds did ~$74M in '25, +68% in Q1 '26. Premium native at higher CPMs — $15–40M/yr of headroom inside the ~15% ads ceiling.
Ad revenue ~$54M → ~$74M (FY24→FY25); Q1’26 +68% YoY. CPM: Meta ~$7, Snap ~$13. Illustrative.
02
Later
Plans, not just proximity.
Est. annual opportunity$15–30M/yrRetention + paid filter · illustrative
Concept 02 · Later
The grid only knows "now." Most plans don't happen now.
What it isSet when you're free, see who's around then, and share it privately in chat — like an album.
For usersStop missing each other. Lock plans for tonight, the weekend, or a trip days ahead.
For GrindrLower churn = higher LTV. Scheduled plans pull users back on a cadence — and "free later" is a paid filter (ARPPU) and the on-ramp to travel.
gAI, nextReal meetups give Later ground-truth data to train gAI matching on who actually clicks.
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Who's around Friday?
NowTonightFri · EveSatSun
12 guys free Friday evening near you
Marco
Devon
Wes
Kian
Marcus
Enrique
Noah
Reece
Dante
Finn
Amir
Shane
Later · 1 of 4Tap a day and time block — the grid filters to who's free then, not just who's online now.
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WFH 😏✏️
Online
👻 Incognito
Add-ons
⚡Boost
💧Right Now2 FREE
📍Roam
▶️Grindr Presents
📅Events
🛡️Health Center
✏️Edit Profile
🖼️My Albums
🗓️My AvailabilityNEW
Later · 2 of 4A new line in your menu, right under My Albums — you open it like an album.
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‹AvailabilitySave
When I'm free
Morning6–12
Afternoon12–5
Evening5–9
Late9+
Tonight
Fri
Sat
Sun
FreeTonight eve & late · Fri late · Sat aft–late · Sun daytime
These blocks filter the grid to who's free then — and you can share them straight into a chat.
Share my times in a chat
Later · 3 of 4Get specific — tap the exact windows you're actually free. The same blocks the grid filters by.
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‹★0 feet away⋯
Today
when are you actually free? 😅
16:40
just sent my times 👇
Read 16:42
🗓️ My free times
FridayLate
SaturdayAft – Late
SundayDaytime
Pick a time
sat night 🔥
16:45
Say something…
Share availability
Later · 4 of 4A calendar sits right next to location in the bar — tap it to send your free times and lock a plan.
03
Creator Albums
Native ads, matched to what each user taps.
Est. annual opportunity$15–30M/yrNew native ad revenue · illustrative
Concept 03 · Creator Albums
Grindr knows what every user likes to look at. Sell creators that match.
For GrindrA native ad unit. Creators pay to drop an album in front of the users most likely to like it — high-margin revenue, plus content that fuels the grid.
What it isA creator's album surfaced natively to matched users. gAI picks the audience from what each user taps; the last tiles link out to Instagram and X.
For users & creatorsUsers get more of what they like. Creators reach a pre-qualified audience and turn it into followers on Instagram and X.
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✦
Alex Creator
Album · updated today
⋯
SponsoredMatched to you from the profiles you tap — Alex paid to land in your Albums.
Follow @alex
Opens X
Follow @alex
Opens IG
Creator AlbumsHis album, AI-matched to you, opened from Albums in chat. The last tiles open his Instagram and X — he paid to be here.
04
Passport
Travel is peak willingness-to-pay.
Est. annual opportunity$15–30M/yrDirectional — a Gayborhood demo, kept out of the forecast
Concept 04 · Passport
Stop landing at zero. Arrive plugged in.
What it isSet a city and dates — gAI builds the trip and your dates start collecting interest before you land. Travel Pass and Maps' booking beta already point here.
Free for everyoneBooking gay-friendly hotels & restaurants is free for all 15M users — Grindr takes a cut of every booking.
Paid: the Passport tierPassport sells the people, not the rooms — unlimited Roam, gAI concierge, boost, translation, chat before you land.
The upgrade pathSaved dates collect interest automatically — "14 guys want to meet you" is the moment Passport sells itself.
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‹Edit Profile
Body TypeMuscular
Show Position
PositionTop
EthnicityWhite
Relationship StatusPartnered
✈︎ Trips
Mexico CityJun 12 – 16›
Add a Trip›
✦ Plan a tripgAI›
👥 Preferences
Show My Tribes
My TribesJock›
Tribes I'm IntoNone›
Looking ForFriends, Fun›
Meet AtNone›
Passport · 1 of 5It starts in the profile you already have. Adding a trip is free — and the moment you save dates, they go to work. Tap a trip row.
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✈︎ Your trip
Mexico City
Jun 12 – 16 · in 3 weeks
🔥 14 guys want to meet you
They saw your dates and tapped in. Start chatting before you land.
+10
Trip plans · synced with Later
Friday party · Bldg 8
11 PM · 80 going
Sat · drinks with Santiago
Locked via Later · windows matched
🛟 Before you go
Roma Norte & Condesa are the scene. Quick reads on local laws, safe areas, norms, and getting home safe.
★
Grindr Passport — unlock this tripUnlimited Roam + concierge · boost · translate · chat first
Activate
Passport · 2 of 5gAI builds the trip the moment you add dates — and the dates start collecting interest. Tap Activate for the per-trip pass.
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TripsMexico CitySaved
✦ For youStaysEatTipsNearby
✦
gAI planned your tripMexico City · Jun 12–16 · gay-friendly
8
Casa RomaGay-friendly$148/nt
Steps to Roma Norte bars · rooftop pool. Booked by 30+ Grindr guys.
Free cancellationBook
Condesa Haus
Leafy Condesa · quieter
$112/nt›
Contramar
Lunch icon · Sat 2 PM open
Reserve
📍 The gayborhood, right now
Roma Norte● 327 online
Condesa● 184 online
Passport · 3 of 5Stays and tables are bookable by everyone — free users included — and every booking pays Grindr. The paid tier sells access to people, not rooms.
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‹
✦
gAI ConciergePassport
Mexico City · Jun 12–16
⋯
3 weeks before you land
land at 4 — dinner near my hotel, then whatever's good 😈
15:02
Done. Rosetta, 8:30 PM — four blocks from Casa Roma, confirmation in your chats. After, Bldg 8's Friday party: 80 going, 3 from your chats. Want a ride between?
15:02
yes — and get me home safe after
15:03
Ride set for 10:45. After 2 AM it's registered cabs or Uber only — I'll ping you a check-in when you leave the party.
15:03
Book dinnerTonight's partiesGet me home safe
Ask anything about your trip…
Passport · 4 of 5Edge on the road — gAI plans, books, and rebooks in chat. Booking is free; having it handled is the upsell. Try the chips.
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Waiting in Mexico City
They saw your trip dates · Jun 12–16
Santiago, 30
Roma Norte · "show you the real spots"
👋 Wave
Emilio, 28
Condesa · free your first night
👋 Wave
Diego, 33
Local host · ★ trusted
👋 Wave
Mateo, 27
Juárez
Chat
Luis, 35
Polanco
Chat
★
Connect before you land with Passport
Unlock Mexico City
PER-TRIP PASS · OR ANNUAL PASSPORT PLAN
Passport · 5 of 5The interest your trip collected, shown to everyone. Free users can wave back — chatting before you land is the unlock. Per-trip or annual.
05
Cruise
A boatload of new revenue.
Est. annual opportunity$5–15M/yrB2B placement + onboard commerce · illustrative
Concept 05 · Cruise
At sea, the grid goes dark for days. Cruise Mode maps the whole ship.
What it isBoard and a geofence offers Cruise Mode — the whole sailing on one grid over ship Wi-Fi, ranked by deck. Public ship-position data keeps location honest when GPS goes dark.
For usersTap once at the dock and you're on the boat's grid all week — GPS off, still connected. gAI surfaces who to meet aboard.
For GrindrA new B2B channel plus onboard commerce — cruise lines and festivals pay to light up a sailing, and Grindr pushes drinks, merch, and deals to the room folio for a cut. The parties already happen; this makes Grindr the platform they run on.
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📍
Port of Miami
Boarding · Atlantis Caribbean
🚢
Enter Cruise Mode?
You’re boarding Atlantis · Caribbean. Switch to the onboard grid — it runs on ship Wi-Fi and keeps working all week, even when GPS goes dark at sea.
Enter Cruise Mode
Not now
Cruise · 1 of 3You open the app at the dock. A geofence recognizes the ship and offers to switch you to the onboard grid.
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⚓ At sea54
🚢
Atlantis · Caribbean
Day 3 · At sea 📍 GPS OFF
Select a venue — see who's around · 247 aboard
All · 247🏊 Pool Deck🪩 The Club🎰 Casino🧖 Spa🍸 Bars
Mateo
Dev · Dk 11
Kai · Spa
Andre · Pool
Jay · Dk 5
Bo · Bar
Theo · Dk 9
Nico · Gym
Sam · Casino
Leo · Dk 7
Eli · Deck
Max · Bar
Owen · Spa
Tom · Pool
Jake · Dk 9
💬
Sailing group chat
247 members · 38 online
›
Cruise · 2 of 3GPS goes dark at sea — the grid runs on ship Wi-Fi, public maritime data tracks the vessel. All 247 aboard, one grid — and Heat keeps rolling.
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⚓ At sea54
💬
Sailing Group Chat
Atlantis Caribbean · 247 members
Day 3 · At sea
Mateo · Deck 9
pre-game on the pool deck before the white party?? 🍹
Dev · Deck 11
down. bar by the hot tub in 20
otw — grabbing the drink package first 🍸
Kai
what’s everyone wearing tonight 👀
Tonight on board · Sponsored
White Party
Deck 11 Pool · 11 PM · 212 going
🍸 10 Drink Tickets$99
🍴 Premium Dining Ticket$59
Add to room folio
Cruise · 3 of 3One chat for the whole boat — and where Grindr pushes drink, dining, and gayborhood deals to the room folio, for a cut.
One system
Five bets that feed each other.
Heat → LaterA reaction starts the chat; "when are you free?" ends it as a plan.
Later → PassportYour free windows travel with you — locals see exactly when you're in town.
Passport → HeatYour destination's feed warms up before you land — browse Roma Norte's heat from home.
Cruise runs the stackOne sailing runs everything — Heat on board, Later for the white party, deals on the folio.
gAI compounds itEvery tap, plan, trip, and booking trains the same matching engine — each bet makes the others smarter.
Built for trust
New surfaces, same duty of care.
Heat & who-reactedPosts are ephemeral and you pick the audience — reactions stay private until you both lean in.
Passport & CruiseOpt-in and discreet. Location stays coarse, never precise — it matters across the 190+ countries Grindr serves, including the ~60 where being outed is dangerous.
gAI verificationAI confirms photos and video are current and real — cutting catfishing and fake profiles.
Privacy by designEvery bet ships safety-first — trust is the product for a community that can’t afford to be exposed.
The close
You've seen the five bets. Hire me and I'll make Grindr a lot of money.
Track recordA decade in AI/NLP — I built novel AI and sold it to the Fortune 500. I know how to turn product into revenue.
Ready to shipHeat, Later, Creator Albums, Passport, Cruise — I can build these, not just pitch them. This deck is the proof: one person + AI, working code, days not quarters.
The bet on meBet on me and I'll grow the number that matters — revenue per user. Here's the profile.
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✕
Jarrod Wolf
Online now
↑ Founder · Head of AI · sold AI to the Fortune 500
About me
A decade building AI — co-founded AddStructure (sold to Bazaarvoice, the world's largest UGC platform) and Optiversal, still running today. Everything in this deck is buildable. I came to build it.
GRINDR
