HOUSTON – You've probably seen the signs around town for a new online dating website. It's based right here in Houston and the developers say it will change the way people find love.
Raissa Evans, of Houston, knows a lot about online dating.
"I'm a busy young executive looking for the one for me. I think I started online dating back when it still had a stigma around it," Evans said.
That's why she was happy to find neumate.com. It's a new dating site, created by Shmuel Gordon and Michael Fradkin. The two have more than 20 years of experience in the online dating industry.
"I like the aspect that it's community driven, that there's a Houston Neumate site," Evans said.
So what's different about Neumate?
"We've improved upon what already exists out there. As far as a technical advantage we do have a distinct advantage because we do have better technology now," Fradkin said.
On most dating sites to view messages from potential dates you have to subscribe and pay. Neumate uses what it calls tokens. If someone sends you a token you can view their message for free.
"What the token does is ensure 100 percent that she can read and respond to my message," Gordon added.
Each token cost a dollar. So you can pay as you go, or buy a more long-term subscription package that includes tokens.
Neumate also plans to host get-togethers for members and non-members. They also just rolled out a new marketing campaign, which includes billboards you might have seen around town, like the one at Loop 610 and Highway 59.
"We're based in Houston so we're starting in Houston, but we plan to branch out to other communities. At this point, Neumate is built and it's ready for the masses," Fradkin said.
"It's a different world, I view it as one tool in the tool belt," Evans said.
Neumate currently has fewer than 4,000 members. About 40 percent are single parents and almost all of the singles are right here in Houston. Creators say Neumate is for anyone looking for love regardless of their sexual orientation.