<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="1738241" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Tinder">Tinder</keyword>, <keyword id="806848" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Hinge">Hinge</keyword>, and <keyword id="2307576" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="bumble">Bumble</keyword> have said they will give perks to users who show they're vaccinated. </li><li>Nine dating apps have teamed up with the UK government to encourage their users to get the jab. </li><li>The vaccinated will get access to free features to help them stand out to potential matches. </li></ul>Dating apps have formed an unlikely partnership: Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble are among the nine apps that have teamed up with the UK government to encourage their users to get vaccinated. British app users will be able to add their vaccination status to their profiles, and will receive perks for doing so, according to a <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/leading-dating-apps-partner-with-government-to-boost-vaccine-uptake">government press release</a> published Monday. The scheme is based on trust as there is no way of verifying users' vaccine status, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-57379034">according to the BBC.</a>Tinder users will get a free "<a href="https://www.help.tinder.com/hc/en-us/articles/115004493543-Super-Like-">Super Like</a>" - a feature allowing users to stand out on the platform - if they display the sticker. Relationship-focused app Hinge will give users a free "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/roses-on-hinge">Rose</a>" which puts their profiles to the top of a potential match's feed. Bumble will also give users discounts on premium features such as "Superswipes" if they add a "vaccinated" badge to the profile. Users will be able to share their COVID-19 dating preferences, such as whether they prefer to spend time indoors or outdoors, the press release said. Dating platforms Badoo, Match, <keyword id="5016309" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="muzmatch">Muzmatch</keyword>, <keyword id="228306" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="OkCupid">OkCupid</keyword>, OurTime, and <keyword id="2362258" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="plenty-of-fish">Plenty of Fish</keyword> have also joined the scheme. The partnership follows a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/dating-apps-like-tinder-and-bumble-are-joining-forces-with-the-white-house-to-encourage-vaccination-offering-perks-for-vaccinated-users/articleshow/82842615.cms">similar campaign launched in the US</a> last month. "An important part of returning to normal is helping people feel safe as they connect in person," Alexandre Lubot, CEO of <keyword id="2919183" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Match-Group">Match Group</keyword> said in a <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/leading-dating-apps-partner-with-government-to-boost-vaccine-uptake">statement</a>. "A unified push towards more vaccinations will allow people to once again meet in person and connect in meaningful ways."So far, just over 76% of UK adults have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with more than 52% fully vaccinated, according to the latest <a href="https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/vaccinations">government data</a>. A total of 31% of UK adults have said they would prefer to date someone who had received the jab, and 28% said they would not date an unvaccinated person, according to a <a href="https://yougov.co.uk/topics/lifestyle/survey-results/daily/2021/05/21/eeb3b/3">YouGov poll</a> in May. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/getting-a-coronavirus-vaccine-is-sexy-on-dating-app-2021-2">OKCupid previously told Insider</a> that its users who said they were willing to get the COVID-19 vaccine were more likely to receive "likes" from other users who said they would avoid the jab.

Dating apps Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge will offer users free 'Super Likes' and 'Superswipes' to encourage them to get vaccinated

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5c13bb5b404f4d1024533163-1200/shaz ryan 2.jpg" border="0" alt="Shaz &amp; Ryan 2" data-mce-source="Muzmatch" />MuzmatchShahzad Younas and Ryan Brodie of Muzmatch.</div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Muzmatch is the first global matchmaking app for Muslims.</li><li>It was founded by 34-year-old Shahzad Younas, a former Morgan Stanley banker, and 25-year-old iOS engineer Ryan Brodie.</li><li>The app says it is close to hitting one million users, and claims 200,000 people have got married after meeting on Muzmatch.</li><li>Younas and Brodie told Business Insider they have declined attractive aquisition offers as they aim to become "the biggest app for Muslims worldwide."</li></ul>With pun-filled taglines like "Halal, is it me you're looking for?" and "You had me at halal," <a href="https://muzmatch.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2qiyzJXh3wIVgrTtCh3HoQmuEAAYASAAEgJNy_D_BwE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Muzmatch</a> may seem like just another quirky dating app - but there's much more to it than that.Muzmatch is targeted at finding marriage partners for Muslims around the world - and it claims to be close to hitting one million users globally.Operating in nearly every country (though it's most popular in the UK, US, and Canada), the location-based app shows users the most relevant people near them based on a "sophisticated algorithm" which considers a number of different factors based on the information they provide in their profiles.Muzmatch was the brainchild of 34-year-old Shahzad Younas, a former Morgan Stanley banker who told Business Insider he left his job in June 2014 to learn how to build apps after he had the idea for the company."I thought, 'Why is nobody doing an app for the Muslim market?'" he told Business Insider. "We didn't have anything, we were still on websites."As a Muslim himself, he said he understood "the market, the audience, and the problem" - something other companies had a lack of expertise in."For Muslims, marriage is such a big part of your life," he explained. "We don't really date, we marry."He added that the Muslim market was generally "at least five years behind the mainstream market and dating apps" with mainly web-focused platforms - so he decided to make Muzmatch mobile-only.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/onda-app-private-members-clubs-luca-del-bono-2018-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This new app gives access to hundreds of private members' clubs around the world for $120 a month</a>In April 2015, initially using nearly $200,000 of his own savings from his nine-year banking career, he launched the first version of the app from home, and grew it to 50,000 users around the world in less than a year."They just heard about it going to mosques, hanging out, literally spreading the word by any means," he said. "I thought, 'There's clearly a demand here,' but it was just me doing all of it."Luckily, he came across iOS engineer Ryan Brodie, 22 at the time and now 25, on LinkedIn in April 2016."He's kind of like me, an engineer, can code, and had some startups himself, so it was perfect," Younas said. "We literally had a three-hour phone call where we ripped the whole thing apart... and then Ryan wanted to come on board."Brodie, who had successfully started and sold two companies in the events and consumer tech space, said even as a non-Muslim he immediately saw the opportunity for Muzmatch - and it was an added bonus that both men knew how to build and improve apps.Starting from scratch, the pair revamped and relaunched the company in August 2016. By halfway through 2018, they had 500,000 registered users."Even in 2019 it's very hard and expensive to build an app, but the unique thing we had is, while we might not have had a huge amount of money at the time, we knew how to make the product," Brodie told Business Insider.<h2>Blurred photos, nicknames, and chaperones</h2>It's free to sign up on Muzmatch, initially using just your date of birth and gender. You can then start swiping through people near you.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5c362417e04d624ffe7a2413-1200/muzmatchpp - in situ 3.jpg" border="0" alt="muzmatch_PP in situ 3" data-mce-source="Muzmatch" />MuzmatchMuzmatch.</div></div></div>"To get initial users on board, we appreciate they might not want to fill out 30 different fields," Brodie said, adding that once you make your first match, you're then asked to give more information for your profile, such as your sect and ethnicity.One profile, for example, might state: "Modest dress, sometimes prays."When users get a match, they get a prompt to get a conversation going.They can also choose to go "premium" for £20 a month in return for extra features, such as unlimited swipes (there's a daily cap for free users), more advanced search filters and preferences, the ability to reset or change past swipes, and being at the front of the queue for users aroung you.It might sound straightforward, but there are a number of things that make Muzmatch different than its competitors.Firstly, users have the option of blurring their photos or using a nickname."If [you choose to do this and] you match someone, they still can't see your photos [or name], and it's up to you when you reveal them," Brodie said.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/most-eligible-singles-in-london-happn-dating-app-2017-4?r=UK&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">These are the 18 most-wanted singles in London, according to the dating app Happn</a>Younas added that after profile signup, the app also prompts users to "keep things Halal.""For us, it's a lighthearted way to remind users of what's expected, he said. "We're not a casual app, it's not a photo 'yes, no.' There's so much more to it."The whole point of our app is we want serious people looking for marriage, serious about a relationship, so people invest a lot of time and energy into the whole process."<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5c362433bd77303de87ebb87-1200/muzmatchpp - in situ 5.jpg" border="0" alt="muzmatch_PP in situ 5" data-mce-source="Muzmatch" />MuzmatchMuzmatch.</div></div></div>The duo added that this type of "oath" is starting to be introduced to other mainsteam apps, like OK Cupid.Muzmatch also claims to be the only one in the world with a chaperone feature, which allows a friend or relative to be present in a chat."There's an Islamic principle where when a guy and a girl are getting to know eachother there should be a third party present," Younas explained. "For [some users] it's important - if it didn't have that feature, they wouldn't use it."Brodie added that a dedicated team manually approve each profile to confirm users are who they say they are, and users also have the option to provide "positive feedback" on another user after they match and have a conversation, with enough positive praise resulting in profile badges."We want users to feel comfortable, but equally we need people to feel that, actually, this is a more serious place, it's not just for messing around," Brodie added.<h2>"Halal, is it me you're looking for?"</h2>This is a message that's clear not only on the app, but also through Muzmatch's marketing campaigns.In October 2018, it launched ads on the London underground with catchy phrases like "Halal, is it me you're looking for?"It launched a second campaign in January with similarly tongue-in-cheek taglines.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5c36239a630d9b17d76c5a0d-2400/you had me at halal.jpg" border="0" alt="You Had Me At Halal!" data-mce-source="Muzmatch" />MuzmatchThe latest campaign from Muzmatch.</div></div></div>Younas said the company wanted to put out a positive message that was also humorous."It's a side that, especially for the Muslim segment, doesn't get portrayed that often," he said. "Sadly it's nearly always negative. [We wanted] to do things a bit differently, freshen things up a bit."He added that the reaction to the ads has been "overwhelmingly positive," with plenty of attention on Twitter and Instagram."Obviously there were a few EDL [English Defense League, a far-right, Islamophobic organisation] types who basically don't like any sort of Muslim reference," he added. "We had a bit of that, but that was 1% of the feedback we had."<h2>Support from Silicon Valley</h2>And the strategy certainly seems to be paying off.In the summer of 2017, Muzmatch was accepted into Silicon Valley-based accelerator Y Combinator, who have backed the likes of Airbnb, Dropbox, and Reddit and provide a network of resources and support for startups - as well as investment."They invest $120,000 for 7% of the company," Younas explained. "13,000 companies apply, 800 are flown out to San Francisco for an interview, and 100 are accepted. It's harder to get into than Harvard."He added that Muzmatch was the first Muslim-centric startup to ever be backed by Y Combinator.Also in summer 2017, the duo <a href="https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/muzmatch#section-overview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raised just under $2 million in seed investment.</a>They confirmed to Business Insider that they've even turned down attractive acquisition offers because they believe in the future of the business.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5c36279fbd7730506a36c05b-1200/brodie younas sky news muzmatch.png" border="0" alt="brodie younas sky news muzmatch" data-mce-source="Sky News" data-mce-caption="Brodie and Younas on Sky News, October 2018." />Sky NewsBrodie and Younas on Sky News, October 2018.</div></div></div>Part of this is because the duo believe they have a sustainable business model."People doubted we could monetise this market at all, but the model we have works," Brodie said.Younas added: "Even though most users don't end up upgrading, because of the scale we're at, the people who do more than cover our costs and make sure we can invest in the platform."<h2>'Muslims don't date'</h2>However, he also believes the interest in Muzmatch is due to the fact no other company has been able to cater to this market before."Probably more so with other faiths, people are more open to marrying outside of the faith, but generally for Muslims people stick to their faith," he said."You've got things like JSwipe for Jewish people, Christian Mingle for Christians, but for [Muslims] we have to remember that generally people don't date. They use the app to find someone to have a few initial chats with and have coffee a couple of times, and then they get the family involved."He added traditionally, Muslim parents would call women called "aunties" who would charge thousands to match up their son or daughter with someone in the community. However, now young Muslims are meeting people and having conversations themselves."In places like India [the aunties] take a percentage of the wedding, so it's crazy, they make a lot of money. [We have made] it so much more affordable for people, and [are] empowering the person doing the search. Nobody knows apart from them the kind of person they'll get on with."He added: "People are getting younger and younger when they're finding Muzmatch. They're getting the experience of meeting people, talking to people, having that social interaction."<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5c362482e04d62500e1b6a82-1200/shaz ryan 4 1.jpg" border="0" alt="Shaz &amp; Ryan 4 (1)" data-mce-source="Muzmatch" />MuzmatchShahzad Younas and Ryan Brodie of Muzmatch.</div></div></div><h2>Reaching the world's 1.8 billion Muslims</h2>Now, Younas and Brodie are cofounders in the business, which they're looking to grow right away with at least 10 new hires."We've grown to the stage where we're going to hit one million members very soon, mostly by word of mouth," Younas said, adding that the company is growing even faster than digital mobile-only bank Monzo, which reports to have 20,000 new sign-ups a week."Now we're looking at how do we get to five million, 10, 20? For us, there are 1.8 billion Muslims around the world. We reckon 300 to 400 million of those are single and eligible in terms of our app - that's a massive user base."In order to do that, the company has recently conducted a project localising the app in different places around the world. It's now live in 14 different languages, including Arabic and Turkish."The core mission is to be the biggest app for Muslims worldwide," Brodie added. "We want to be a standout brand for Muslims around the world."Younas added that so far, the company knows of 20,000 people who have got married after meeting on Muzmatch."We have something called Wedding Bell, where every time someone leaves the app it sends us a Slack alert with the comment they put in [about why they left]. People who met on Muzmatch say [things like] 'thank you, Muzmatch' and 'met someone, got married.' It's nonstop. We get about 100 a day."The company also regularly features "success stories" on <a href="https://muzmatch.com/blog/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">its blog.</a><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5c36258fbd773059bb10fe52-1200/v2-success2.png" border="0" alt="v2 success_2" data-mce-source="Muzmatch" data-mce-caption="Rasheed (left) and Ayah (right) are just one of many couples who have met on Muzmatch and shared their story with the company." />MuzmatchRasheed (left) and Ayah (right) are just one of many couples who have met on Muzmatch and shared their story with the company.</div></div></div><h2>'Our users aren't on Tinder and the other apps'</h2>For those still not convinced the likes of Muzmatch can compete with giants like Tinder, Bumble, and Happn, Younas said: "The key thing with Muzmatch is we're not a Tinder competitor."Our users aren't on Tinder and the other apps - they don't serve their need. From the off, this is not a hookup app. The Muslims who do want to hook up aren't essentially our customers."However, since starting the app, Younas believes he's already seen a shift in how Muslims are approaching dating."Three generations ago, your parents would decide who your partner was going to be and that would be that, you'd go along with it," he said. "With the second generation, your parents would still be involved, talk to the families, but they'd show you people and you'd meet them and both have the decision."Now, we have parents coming to us saying 'We don't know anyone, families aren't as connected as they used to be, can you help us find someone for our son or daughter?' and we say 'no - get them to sign up.' In a sense, the son or daughter are now saying 'I want to find someone on my own terms.'"Attitudes are changing so quickly. Through technology, this is how people are finding partners." <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marie-kondo-on-organizing-your-home-2016-1">Japanese lifestyle guru Marie Kondo explains how to organize your home once and never again</a></h3> <div> <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/9YKyVh1j-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script> </div> </div>

An ex-Morgan Stanley banker and a 25-year-old engineer created the first global matchmaking app for Muslims, and it's about to hit one million users

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Muslim consumers are ready to spend trillions on services that cater to their beliefs.</li><li>Services tailored to the "halal" economy include everything from dating apps to modest fashion.</li></ul><keyword id="53533" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="entrepreneurs">Entrepreneurs</keyword> are tapping into the growing Muslim demand for apps, fashion, and other services - with the community's spending power already estimated to be in the trillions.Muslim consumers spent more than $2 trillion globally in 2019, indicated <a href="https://cdn.salaamgateway.com/reports/pdf/456642acf95a783db590e5b104cae94046047101.pdf">research</a> by the State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2020/2021.This ecosystem is sometimes referred to as the "halal economy," defined by "Generation M" author Shelina Janmohamed as "the appetite that Muslim consumers have to consume products and services."The word "halal" refers to products that are permissible to consume within the margins of Islamic law.The objective for Muslims is toward "completing the identity in every aspect of life," said professor Mehmet Asutay, an expert on Islamic finance at Durham University.Young Muslims are driving the halal economy, particularly after the events of 9/11. Janmohamed said the tragedy and subsequent discrimination motivated young Muslims to "define themselves by their very overt, explicit Muslim identity."She added: "They want to feel part of the consumer generation. They want to have products and services that meet their requirements. When they go on the high street, they don't find those products and services. So they start to develop them themselves."<h2>'Mainstream dating apps don't work' </h2><div type="image" title="Muzmatch app" height="3271" width="4361" msid="85175787" hostid="261"></div>One example is Muzmatch, the first Muslim-centric app to be backed by Silicon Valley's Y Combinator accelerator program.The app - launched in 2015 by founder Shahzad Younas - said it has 4.6 million members, helped by a 45% increase in downloads since lockdowns began in 2020.Younas said he sought to provide a service that appealed to a sophisticated Muslim consumer. He added that across South Asia and other parts of the world, "there is a growing middle class" that has an appetite for Muslim-oriented products. "If you identify as Muslim, we're a place for you," he said, adding that the service initially focused on Muslims in non-Muslim countries."In Western countries, the mainstream dating apps don't work for Muslims," Younas said. "They're too casual. They're not centered around finding a life partner. They don't really cater on a religious or ethical perspective of what we think is acceptable and what's not for the Muslim consumer."<h2>It's partly about changing priorities </h2><div type="image" title="Portrait of group of stylish young Muslim women" height="2998" width="3998" msid="85175788" hostid="261"></div>One reason Muslim consumers are clamoring for tailored services is the changing priorities between generations.Asutay said, for example, that demand for companies providing Islamic finance is higher in the UK among the younger generation.The first generation was "the homemakers," he said. "Their objective was very much looking into the well-being of their kids; having an accommodation, house; and building the mosque."The younger generation, moving up a Maslow-style hierarchy of needs, "are more Islamic-finance-oriented or inclined to take care of Islamic finance compared to the earlier generation," he said.Startups such as Wahed Invest or Affinis Labs - both founded in 2015 - aim to fill this gap. Wahed Invest is a halal investment platform, and Affinis Lab is a social-innovation firm that helps clients tackle global challenges.Janmohamed, who also runs Ogilvy Noor, a consultancy for building Muslim consumer brands, said bigger brands had a sense of missing out on Muslim consumers. British retailer John Lewis began stocking modest-fashion retailer Aab earlier in 2021, while Nike catered to Muslim swimmers with modest swimwear in 2020. Muslim spend on apparel is expected to reach $311 billion by 2024, and Muslim women, in particular, seek modest clothing.Janmohamed said: "The Muslim women who are so often depicted as stereotypes in our newspapers, in our political discussions, as kind of oppressive, oppressed and weak, and victims have created an industry that is worth hundreds of billions of dollars, and it looks kind of cool, and it's very stylish."Asutay concluded that bigger brands representing the needs of the Muslim consumer "is an important opportunity in terms of getting the Muslim community to move on and to become part of the larger society."

This is how Muslim entrepreneurs are tapping into the $2 trillion halal economy

Happy Friday, friends. There's drama in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-removes-copycat-wordle-apps-from-app-store-2022-1">Wordle world</a>, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-cyberquad-for-kids-selling-for-thousands-ebay-video-reviews-2022-1">Tesla's Cyberquad for kids</a> is starting to arrive.BTW — There will be no <keyword id="11894123" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="newsletter" source="Orion">newsletter</keyword> Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We'll be back in your inboxes on Tuesday.Now, let's get started. <hr />If this was forwarded to you, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/10-things-in-tech">sign up here</a>. Download Insider's app – click <a href="https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id554260576">here for iOS</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.freerange360.mpp.businessinsider">here for Android</a>.<hr /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-removes-copycat-wordle-apps-from-app-store-2022-1"></a>1. Wordle is taking over the internet — and spurring knockoffs. Wordle, a daily word game that's quickly growing in popularity, is garnering so much attention that Apple said it had to remove several knockoffs from its App Store. <ul><li>Attempting to capitalize on the game's success, app developers have been copying Wordle and putting their versions in the App Store. </li><li>A direct iOS clone of Wordle was removed after <a href="https://twitter.com/waxpancake/status/1480990948972658689?s=21">receiving backlash from fans</a> online, <a href="https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/apple-removes-wordle-clone-app-apologizes-1235151997/">Variety reported.</a> The developer created "Wordle — The App," a version that offered unlimited play for a $30 yearly subscription. He has since apologized. </li></ul>Heard of Wordle, but not sure what it is? We've got you covered. Wordle is a puzzle that only exists on the game's website, so you don't need an app — or even a cell phone — to play. You can play the game <a href="https://www.powerlanguage.co.uk/wordle/">here.</a> <ul><li>It's a puzzle with a relatively simple (but tricky) premise: try to guess the five-letter word. After each guess, the game tells you if any of the letters are correct, and if they're in the right order. You have six chances to get it right — but you can only play once a day.</li><li>It was created by Josh Wardle (get it?), a software engineer from Brooklyn, who made it for <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/03/technology/wordle-word-game-creator.html">his word-game-loving partner.</a> </li></ul><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-removes-copycat-wordle-apps-from-app-store-2022-1">We've got a rundown of the latest Wordle news.</a><hr />In other news:<a href="https://www.axios.com/jan-6-committee-alphabet-meta-reddit-twitter-d28b748d-e38a-4ab9-a28d-52f9a6dbf733.html"></a><div type="image" title="facebook mark zuckerberg" height="1376" width="1835" msid="88898685" hostid="261"></div>2. The Jan. 6 committee subpoenaed the nation's <keyword id="6358815" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tech" source="Orion">tech</keyword> giants. The committee, in an attempt to understand the spread of misinformation, efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and domestic extremism, has subpoenaed Twitter, YouTube, Meta, and Reddit. <a href="https://www.axios.com/jan-6-committee-alphabet-meta-reddit-twitter-d28b748d-e38a-4ab9-a28d-52f9a6dbf733.html">Here's what you need to know.</a>3. Hackers are breaking into Amazon cloud accounts to mine crypto — and leaving the owners with huge bills. Crypto miners can run up huge charges for the raw computing power needed to produce even small amounts of digital currencies like Bitcoin. One hacking victim <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/aws-crypto-mining-hacks-amazon-cloud-customers-huge-bills-fees-2022-1">describes finding a $53,000 bill on his account.</a>4. Meta dropped 36 places on Glassdoor's annual Best Places to Work list. Facebook's parent company — which has snagged the top spot three times — <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/11/facebook-owner-meta-falls-on-glassdoor-annual-best-places-to-work-list.html">fell from 11th to 47th place</a> after a string of PR crises. If you're on the hunt for a new job this year, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-companies-employers-to-work-2022-uk-according-to-glassdoor-2022-1">these 10 companies have the happiest employees.</a>5. Alphabet has distanced its "other bets," like self-driving cars and healthcare, from Google. Alphabet, Google's parent company, has given its other businesses like Waymo and Verily more freedom to set their own rules around job structures. The move gives the businesses more autonomy as they evolve, and could help them better attract outside talent. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-alphabet-moonshots-more-freedom-jobs-bungee-autonomy-waymo-2022-1">What we know so far.</a>6. Google's full-time staff get rapid COVID-19 tests, but its temps don't. Google's army of temporary workers and contractors must go through a slower process than full-time employees, using mail-in tests — a policy that's reignited discussions about <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-workers-get-rapid-covid-19-tests-tvc-wait-2022-1">the way it treats its temp workers.</a>7. The founder of a Muslim dating app is battling Tinder-owner Match in court. Shahzad Younas says Match tried to buy his startup Muzmatch on four occasions and that after he turned down the offer Match Group sued – twice. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/match-group-sues-muslim-dating-app-startup-muzmatch-2022-1">Read more about the legal tussle.</a>8. Tesla will give an update on the Cybertruck in two weeks. After removing the 2022 production date for Cybertruck from its website last month, Tesla is expected to give a roadmap update on the car in late January. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-update-cybertruck-q4-earnings-remove-timing-website-elon-musk-2022-1">Everything we know about the forthcoming update.</a>9. The $19,995 Ford Maverick proves less really can be more. Less than half the price of the average new car, the bare-bones Maverick lacks features like cruise control and power mirrors — but offers a basic, versatile pickup for budget buyers. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-maverick-truck-hybrid-review-price-mpg-hyundai-santa-cruz-2022-1">Check out the new Ford Maverick.</a> 10. Tesla's Cyberquad for kids is starting to arrive. Earlier this week, YouTubers began posting unboxing videos of the toy, which went on sale in December and sold out within a week. Now, some resellers are listing the Cyberquads on eBay for more than double their original price. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-cyberquad-for-kids-selling-for-thousands-ebay-video-reviews-2022-1">See videos of the Cyberquad here.</a><hr />The latest people moves in tech:<ul><li>Amazon has promoted Stephen Schmidt, an AWS cybersecurity veteran, to its S-team, the company's elite group of execs. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-promotes-aws-cybersecurity-chief-stephen-schmidt-to-s-team-2022-1">More on his new role.</a></li><li>Two of Facebook's top PR executives left the company. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-communications-vps-john-pinette-roberta-thomson-exit-company-2022-1">What we know about their departures.</a> </li><li>Amazon's SaaS business applications team suffered its second top exec departure <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-web-services-aws-saas-business-vp-peter-hill-exits-2022-1">in less than a year.</a></li><li>Ousted WeWork chief Adam Neumann is entering one of real estate's hottest markets — and tapped <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/adam-neumann-brings-old-friends-from-wework-along-for-newest-venture-2022-1">two former confidants to help him out.</a></li><li>Index Ventures is losing its first-ever female partner in a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/silicon-valley-vc-index-ventures-is-losing-its-first-female-partner-2022-1">blow to the Silicon Valley heavyweight</a>. </li><li>Tesla's most prominent Black executive, HR chief Valerie Capers Workman, is leaving the company. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-valerie-capers-workman-hr-boss-leaving-company-2022-1">More on her next steps.</a> </li><li>Facebook added DoorDash co-founder and CEO Tony Xu to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-adds-doordash-ceo-tony-xu-to-board-2022-1">its board of directors</a>. </li></ul><hr />Curated by Jordan Parker Erb in New York. (Feedback or tips? Email <a href="mailto:jerb@insider.com">jerb@insider.com</a> or tweet <a href="https://twitter.com/jordanparkererb?lang=en">@jordanparkererb</a>.) Edited by Michael Cogley in London.

10 things in tech you need to know today

<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5e21b52762fa812ae4560804-1027/john downie.jpg" alt="John Downie" />SteadyPayJohn Downie, CEO of tech startup SteadyPay<ul class="summary-list"><li>SteadyPay is an app that allows workers with fluctuating paychecks to top up their wages when they fall short. </li><li>Millions of people participate in the gig economy in the UK - with many working flexible hours through apps such as Uber or takeaway giant Just Eat.</li><li>The company has raised $4 million in a seed funding round, backed by venture capital firm Hambro Ventures and social impact fund Fair By Design. </li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prime?module=article&amp;area=summary">Click here for more BI Prime stories</a>.</li></ul>SteadyPay, a startup that lets workers on irregular incomes top up their monthly wages, raised $4 million in a seed fundraising round backed by VC firm Hambro Perks. Around 57 million people work in the US gig economy, according to analytics firm <a href="https://www.gallup.com/workplace/240929/workplace-leaders-learn-real-gig-economy.aspx">Gallup</a>, with many using tech firms like Uber or Lyft to pay their bills. The same applies to 5 million workers in the UK. But due to the inconsistent nature of gig work, monthly pay packets can vary wildly. That's where SteadyPay comes in. Speaking to Business Insider, cofounder and CEO John Downie said he hoped to make the gig economy an "easier place for people to work."He said: "We want to have a positive impact on peoples' lives and help them avoid getting into debt spirals. We're pleased to have brought in investors who want to help create a better environment for these workers."SteadyPay users are charged a weekly £4 (or $5.20) subscription fee. Based on an analysis of their previous paychecks, the company calculates their average weekly or monthly income, and offers them an interest-free top-up if their pay comes in below the line. Customers can borrow up to £1,000 (or $1,300) interest-free, and agree to a repayment plan that suits them. The app, which had a soft launch in December 2018, only has "several hundred" users at present, according to Downie, but will target thousands more over the next year, including gig economy workers, those on zero-hour contracts, and freelancers.He added that the company would use the new investment to scale up, making new hires and building on the startup's current nine-strong team. The firm's new seed funding round is led by Hambro Perks, which previously backed online creative network <a href="https://the-dots.com/">The Dots</a> and Muslim dating app <a href="https://muzmatch.com/en-GB/">MuzMatch</a>, and Fair By Design, the social impact fund from Ascension Ventures. Elena Moneta, principal of Hambro Perks and incoming director of SteadyPay, said: "Hambro Perks is thrilled to support SteadyPay in its mission to help gig economy workers overcome the hurdles of volatile pay. "For the increasing number of gig and self-employed workers, having access to a simple and ethical solution to address the financial complexities that come with such work is key. As the company engages with its customers directly, we believe it will become the go-to financial partner for atypical workers."Emma Steele, investment manager at Fair By Design, added: "We are very excited to bring on SteadyPay as another vital solution to the Poverty Premium. Along with the other solutions in the portfolio, SteadyPay solves a very important societal issue."By enabling freelancers and gig workers to have access to a more predictable income stream through their income top-up tool, we believe SteadyPay addresses a key aspect of financial vulnerability. We look forward to working with the team to support them on their journey to scale."<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/future-of-retail?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=ctgr_bii&amp;itm_term=ctgr_leadgen&amp;itm_content=uber&amp;itm_campaign=future-of-retail-2"><img src="https://static.businessinsider.com/image/5dcb11a63afd37083c1cbb6b" alt="Exclusive FREE Slide Deck: Future of Retail: Delivery &amp; Fulfillment by Business Insider Intelligence" style="width: 100% !important" /></a> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stop-using-champagne-flutes-this-is-the-best-way-to-drink-champagne-2017-12">Stop using champagne flutes - this is the best way to drink champagne</a></h3> <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/JCKIRytm-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;"></iframe>

You Searched For "muzmatch" and got 5 results

Dating apps Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge will offer users free 'Super Likes' and 'Superswipes' to encourage them to get vaccinated

Anna Cooban

An ex-Morgan Stanley banker and a 25-year-old engineer created the first global matchmaking app for Muslims, and it's about to hit one million users

Alison Millington

This is how Muslim entrepreneurs are tapping into the $2 trillion halal economy

Sawdah Bhaimiya

10 things in tech you need to know today

Jordan Parker Erb

SteadyPay raises $4 million to help gig economy workers stay afloat with salary top-ups

Martin Coulter