About us

Two people, one counter-voice.

Not a company with a logo and a mission statement. Just Ab and Timme, who felt dating should be about people again.

Dear reader,

How Duivendates came to be.

I'm Ab. For years I've run Tortelen, speed dating with games, at venues all over the country. What I notice there every night: people light up the moment a screen is no longer between them.

But not everyone lives around the corner from a Tortelen evening, or feels at home in a room full of strangers. For them I wanted something with the same warmth, only calmer and closer to home.

I am, honestly, rather prone to addiction. I sense in everything that apps want my attention, not my happiness. Dating apps make a sport of it: the longer you swipe, the better it works for them. The exact opposite of what you came for.

That is why we are not building an app. There is nothing to swipe, no feed pulling you back, and we sell no ads. We won't promise you the love of your life either. But we will send you, one by one, on dates we have thought about carefully ourselves.

That careful thinking, we do with the two of us. For the matching, the listening, and the tone of everything you hear from us, I bring along the warmth of Tortelen. For everything that has to work under the hood, I found Timme.

Timme is a seasoned developer who has built software that simply has to work for years. He makes sure your story stays safe, that the tech never gets in your way, and that there is no trick anywhere keeping you longer than you want.

Together we are Duivendates: one matchmaker who knows people and one who keeps things running. Small, personal, and made by hand.

Want to try this with us? Sign up and tell us who you are.

With love, Ab and Timme
What we stand for

Promises we hold ourselves to.

i.

Never an app

No feed, no notifications, no swipes. Nothing built to pull you back. You hear from us when there is something to say, and otherwise you do not.

Promise
ii.

Made by people

The two of us read your profile ourselves and choose your match by hand. No algorithm deciding in the dark who you get to meet.

Promise
iii.

Affordable

A few euros, not a few thousand. Matchmaking should not be a luxury reserved for the few.

Promise
The colophon

The two behind the dates.

No editorial desk, no call center. Two people who remember your name and can explain their choice.

Ab

Abderrahman el Fellah

Founder of Tortelen and the human side of Duivendates. I read the profiles, think about who suits whom, and keep everything warm and honest.

Ti

Timme Romberg

Seasoned developer and the builder of Duivendates. I make sure the tech works, your data is safe, and there is no trick anywhere to keep you hooked.

Does this sound like something for you?

Tell us about yourself. At your own pace, and with no obligations.

Tell us about yourself