EIGHT, a Lisbon-based startup, is raising a €3 million Seed round to scale its video-first dating app across four European markets over the next 24 months.
The startup informed EU-Startups that it has already raised over €256.6k ($300k), with half coming from a VC and the rest from angel investors.
“Dating apps are broken. People are tired of swiping endlessly and having conversations that go nowhere. EIGHT brings back what dating should be about: real human connection. We give people 8 minutes of face-to-face time with someone new every evening, and the results speak for themselves. Our retention numbers prove that when you build a product that actually delivers on its promise, people come back. We are now ready to bring this experience to the rest of Europe,” Miguel Moreira da Cruz, CEO and co-founder, EIGHT.
Founded in 2025 by Miguel Moreira da Cruz and Afonso Simão, EIGHT is a video-focused dating app that replaces endless swiping and messaging with real face-to-face interaction. Every evening from 20h to 21h, verified users are matched for live 8-minute video dates.
The company states that each profile is verified by a human via a 30-second introductory video, preventing fake profiles. Additionally, the app includes an AI Dating Coach to assist users in improving their skills in finding and developing romantic relationships. The app is available on iOS and Android.
EIGHT reports having 15,180 registered users with minimal marketing expenditure. According to the company, its Day 1 retention rate stands at 81%, compared with an industry benchmark of 25% to 35%, and a 43% D7 retention, surpassing the 12 to 15% benchmark. The trial-to-paid conversion rate stands at 42%, with an Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) of €13.30.
Over 491 videos have been completed on the platform. Revenue has reached €6,000 before the company intentionally paused monetisation to focus on growth. Additionally, the company witnesses a 43% month-over-month increase in users.
With the new funding, the company intends to expand into four European markets: Portugal (now live), the UK/London (coming next), Spain, and a fourth market.
EIGHT mentioned that the funding will be allocated across marketing (31%), product development (26%), team expansion (15%), infrastructure (12%), data (6%), and a 10% contingency buffer. The company also recently incorporated in the UK under the name Eight Dating Ltd.
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2026/04/portugals-eight-is-raising-a-e3-million-seed-round-to-scale-its-video-first-dating-app-with-over-e256-6k-already-raised/
