SAN FRANCISCO–(COMMERCIAL WIRE)–Kindred, a members-only home exchange network, today announced the acquisition of intentional dating app Mango and its founder, Bryan Li. Li joined Kindred as CTO.
At Mango, Li harnessed technology to bring people together through real-time, authentic connections. Founded in 2021, the app was creating AI-powered matches to connect users efficiently and effectively. The acquisition is set to expand Kindred’s matchmaking capabilities for home exchanges with the app’s proprietary technology and Li’s expertise.
Li brings a wealth of experience building and scaling products, most notably as a Director of Engineering at both LinkedIn, where he optimized job search functionality, and Tinder, where he focused on the matchmaking experience and social discovery with algorithmic matching. , plus software engineering positions at Yahoo, Microsoft, and Electronic Arts. Before developing Mango, Li also co-founded Medmonk, a technology platform that provides financial assistance to patients undergoing medical treatment. In his new role as CTO, Bryan will oversee the development of Kindred’s technology platform and lead the engineering team as the company continues to expand its offerings and reach.
“We are delighted that Bryan has joined the team as CTO,” said Justine Palefsky, CEO and co-founder of Kindred. “His extensive experience in engineering and product development, combined with his passion for Kindred’s mission, make him the perfect person to lead our technology development. We are confident that he will play a key role in continuing to drive innovation and expansion at Kindred.”
With the addition of Bryan to the leadership team, Kindred is well positioned to continue its growth and success as a leading home exchange network. The acquisition and its hiring come at a pivotal point for Kindred, which has expanded rapidly, surpassing 2,000 member nights booked after coming out of stealth in April 2022. Through its unique give-for-home sharing model receive, Kindred enables members to live a more travel-rich lifestyle for a fraction of the cost of booking a rental or hotel.
“I couldn’t be more excited to join Kindred and be part of a mission-driven company,” Li said. “Home swapping harnesses the power of human connection to make travel more accessible. I look forward to working with the team to make this worthy vision a reality.”
To learn more about Kindred, visit https://livekindred.com/.
About Kindred
Founded by Justine Palefsky and Tasneem Amina in 2021, Kindred is a home exchange network that allows members to live a travel-rich lifestyle for a fraction of the cost of a hotel or vacation rental. The network harnesses the power of the community through its give-for-receive model. For more information, visit LiveKindred.com or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitterand LinkedIn.
