Eight, the Portuguese dating application, is seeking to secure a €3M seed funding round.

      The app launches nightly between 8 and 9 PM, allowing verified users to connect via 30-second video introductions and instant live calls. It is currently accessible in Portugal and the UK. CEO Afonso Simão, who previously established Miofar, a fitness brand that achieved over $1.2 million in revenue, leads the initiative.

      Eight, a Portuguese video-first dating application, is looking to raise €3 million in a seed round and has thus far secured €256,600 of that amount. The app operates on a straightforward concept: it excludes photo profiles, lengthy text conversations, and passive swiping.

      Each night from 8 to 9 PM, users, verified by humans, log in to view 30-second video introductions from other members and can initiate 8-minute live video calls with those they match. Chat functionality only activates after mutual agreement to a call, representing a deliberate shift from the text-first approach prevalent in the dating app industry.

      The app is currently operational in Portugal and the UK, with plans from the founders to utilize the seed funding to expand into Eastern Europe and the United States. CEO Afonso Simão is a serial entrepreneur who built Miofar, a fitness brand that achieved over $1.2 million in revenue and fulfilled 60,000 orders before its exit. Co-founder Moreira da Cruz contributes sales and growth expertise, including an MBA in digital marketing and experience as a leading enterprise account executive at a SaaS company.

      Eight’s strategy explicitly counters user engagement: the founders aim for users to transition off the app and into genuine conversations promptly, which has influenced every product decision. Consequently, there is no infinite scrolling, no dopamine-driven notification designs, and no streak mechanics. The app features a strict one-hour nightly window when the full active user base is online at once, fostering an environment of scarcity and shared experience, as opposed to the asynchronous nature of traditional dating apps.

      Human verification is a fundamental aspect, intended to tackle two significant issues in the current market: fake profiles and ghosting. The global dating app market was valued at $6.18 billion in 2024, servicing approximately 364 million users globally. Eight enters a sector that has attracted considerable venture interest but also faces increasing user fatigue with the prevalent swipe-and-text model. While several apps have integrated video features, Eight’s design ensures that video serves as the sole mode of interaction from the initial point of contact.