Joiner raises €500,000 in fishing round

The Vilnius-based social startup Joiner has successfully completed an angel financing round of EUR 500,000. This brings the total capital raised to date to 1.2 million euros. The new funds will go towards the stability of the app, initial monetization tests and preparations for expansion into other European markets.

40,000 downloads, 1,500 daily users

Joiner's free app already has over 40,000 downloads in the Baltic States and Poland. Around 1,500 users are active every day, arranging to meet up for joint activities via the platform. The aim is to establish real social contacts through group experiences and thus create an alternative to traditional dating apps.

Response to the loneliness epidemic

The background to this is a growing social problem: loneliness. According to the WHO, it has been considered a global threat to public health since 2023. In Europe, one in eight people say they feel lonely often or permanently. At the same time, dating apps are losing relevance. According to Forbes Health, 78% of users suffer from "dating app burnout". Joiner is positioned precisely in this gap: Friendship instead of dating, group activities instead of swipe culture.

Back then, many thought it was crazy to invite strangers into your home. Today it's normal. Joiner takes the same approach - only for shared activities. We want to turn strangers into friends.

Eduard Titov, Co-Founder and CEO Joiner

From bar hopping to hiking

Through Joiner, users organize events such as bar tours, board game evenings, running groups or hikes. Expats and locals act as hosts and thus make a significant contribution to growth. By using influencers as event hosts, Joiner has also developed a scalable monetization model, such as through ticketing or partnerships with locations.

Expansion into European hotspots

Joiner intends to use the fresh funding to improve the app's technology, particularly its chat and event functions. A subscription model for participants and organizers will also be tested. Market entry in Prague, Lisbon and Málaga is planned for 2026. These are cities with a large expat and digital nomad community.