SPARK lands Mike Sherrill as it expands in Southeast Asia

By AI, Created 11:20 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – Singapore dating startup SPARK has secured an investment from Machine Zone co-founder Mike Sherrill as it scales in Thailand, Singapore and beyond. The company says early usage shows more users are turning app matches into real-world dates.

Why it matters: - SPARK is betting that dating apps win by driving in-person meetings, not endless swiping. - Mike Sherrill brings consumer product experience from Machine Zone, the maker of Game of War, which generated about $2.8 billion in revenue before being acquired by AppLovin. - The investment adds outside validation as SPARK pushes into Southeast Asia and prepares for broader expansion.

What happened: - SPARK announced that Silicon Valley gaming pioneer Mike Sherrill invested in the Singapore-based dating startup. - Sherrill is the co-founder of Machine Zone, the company behind Game of War. - SPARK has onboarded 3,500 users in Thailand and is scaling across Southeast Asia.

The details: - SPARK connects users through curated, bookable real-world experiences, including restaurants, rooftops, wellness experiences, live events and social experiences. - The company says early data shows about 65% of users move from a match to a real-world date. - SPARK recently launched Version 2 of its platform. - SPARK also recently added former Eatigo co-founder and CEO Michael Cluzel as co-founder. - SPARK’s next phase of growth focuses on Thailand and Singapore before broader global expansion. - The company describes the product as an effort to build what it sees as the next evolution of online dating. - The product demo is available here. - More information is available on the company website.

Between the lines: - Sherrill’s backing suggests SPARK is attracting investors who know how to build consumer products at scale. - The reported 65% match-to-date rate is the key signal SPARK is using to show that its format can change user behavior. - The startup is positioning itself against the most common weakness in dating apps: turning digital interest into offline interaction.

What’s next: - SPARK plans to keep scaling in Thailand and Singapore. - The company is aiming for a wider international rollout after Southeast Asia. - New product and growth milestones will likely center on whether users continue converting matches into real-life dates at high rates.