The Meet Group
An American social-entertainment company whose portfolio has included dating, social-networking, and live-streaming services.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
The Meet Group is an American social-entertainment company associated with a portfolio of social discovery, dating, networking, and live-streaming services. Its corporate history began in 2005, when siblings Dave and Catherine Cook created myYearbook during their school spring break with support from their older brother Geoff Cook. The initial service was introduced at the New Jersey high school attended by the younger Cooks and was developed with assistance from workers in India. Rather than beginning as a conventional media conglomerate, the business grew from a youth-oriented social-networking service into a broader operator of online communities and mobile applications. The company secured outside financing as myYearBook expanded. In 2006, it raised $4.1 million from U.S. Venture Partners and First Round Capital, followed by a $13 million Series B financing round in 2008. In 2011, myYearBook agreed to be acquired by Quepasa, a Latino-oriented social-networking company. The combination was subsequently renamed MeetMe in June 2012, marking a transition from the original social-network identity to a corporate and product structure centered on MeetMe. MeetMe broadened its portfolio through acquisitions. In October 2016, it purchased Skout for $55 million, adding another established social-discovery service. On April 3, 2017, the company acquired if(we), a social and mobile-application company, and adopted the name The Meet Group. The rebranding signaled an intention to manage multiple consumer social products under one corporate umbrella rather than present the business solely through the MeetMe brand. In September 2017, The Meet Group acquired the German dating application LOVOO for $70 million, increasing its European presence and adding a major dating service to its portfolio. The group’s brand family has included MeetMe, hi5, LOVOO, Growlr, Skout, and Tagged. These services have covered social networking, dating, social discovery, and live video. Live streaming became an important part of the company’s product strategy, including the Livebox technology later used as the basis for Tumblr Live. The range of products meant that The Meet Group operated across several related forms of digital interaction rather than relying on a single application or one narrowly defined audience. In 2020, ProSiebenSat.1 Media acquired The Meet Group. A parent structure called ParshipMeet Group was formed to manage The Meet Group together with Parship, integrating the company into a larger online-dating and relationship-services organization. This transaction changed The Meet Group’s position from an independently operated public-facing social-entertainment company into a business within a broader corporate group. The Meet Group’s offices have been associated with New Hope and Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, San Francisco in California, and Dresden and Berlin in Germany. In 2022, Tumblr announced Tumblr Live, a livestreaming service based on The Meet Group’s Livebox product. Tumblr later announced that Tumblr Live would be discontinued on January 24, 2024, while offering users migration options involving MeetMe. The available reference material does not establish a separate current corporate listing, standalone ticker, or independent website for The Meet Group after its integration into ParshipMeet Group.
History
The Meet Group traces its origins to myYearBook, a social-networking service created in 2005 by siblings Dave and Catherine Cook with investment and support from their older brother Geoff Cook. The younger Cooks developed the idea during spring break and first activated the service at Montgomery High School in suburban New Jersey, where they were students. The initial development work was carried out by workers in India. This origin gave the company a youth-oriented social-networking foundation before it expanded into a wider collection of social-discovery and dating products. The business attracted institutional financing during its early growth. In 2006, myYearBook raised $4.1 million from U.S. Venture Partners and First Round Capital. It completed a further $13 million Series B round in 2008. In July 2011, myYearBook announced an agreement to be acquired by Quepasa, a Latino social-networking company. The combined business adopted the name MeetMe in June 2012, replacing the myYearBook corporate identity with a name aligned to its principal service. MeetMe pursued a portfolio strategy through acquisitions. In October 2016, it acquired Skout for $55 million. On April 3, 2017, the company acquired if(we) and changed its corporate name to The Meet Group. The rebranding reflected a shift from a single-service identity toward a group model encompassing several social and dating applications. In September 2017, The Meet Group acquired the German dating application LOVOO for $70 million, adding a significant European service and offices connected with Dresden and Berlin to its geographic footprint. The company’s portfolio included MeetMe, hi5, LOVOO, Growlr, Skout, and Tagged. These services represented overlapping but distinct categories: dating, social networking, social discovery, and community-based interaction. The Meet Group also developed live-video capabilities through Livebox. The technology later supported Tumblr Live, linking The Meet Group’s product infrastructure to a service operated by another online platform. In 2020, ProSiebenSat.1 Media acquired The Meet Group. ParshipMeet Group was formed as the parent organization for The Meet Group and Parship, placing the former independent company within a larger online-dating group. The reference material identifies company offices in New Hope and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; San Francisco, California; Dresden; and Berlin. In 2022, Tumblr announced Tumblr Live using technology based on Livebox. In 2024, Tumblr announced the discontinuation of Tumblr Live, with users offered migration options involving MeetMe. The supplied sources do not provide enough information to identify a current standalone chief executive, independent stock listing, or separate corporate website for The Meet Group after its acquisition and integration.
- 2024
Tumblr Live is discontinued
[1]Tumblr announced the end of Tumblr Live and provided options for users to migrate to MeetMe.
- 2022
Tumblr Live uses Livebox technology
[1]Tumblr announced Tumblr Live, based on The Meet Group's Livebox product.
- 2020
Acquisition by ProSiebenSat.1 Media
[1]ProSiebenSat.1 Media acquired The Meet Group and established ParshipMeet Group as a parent structure.
- 2017
The Meet Group is formed
[1]After acquiring if(we), the company adopted the name The Meet Group.
- 2017
LOVOO acquisition
[1]The Meet Group acquired German dating application LOVOO for $70 million.
- 2016
Skout acquisition
[1]MeetMe acquired Skout for $55 million.
- 2012
The combined business becomes MeetMe
[1]The business formed through the myYearBook and Quepasa combination was renamed MeetMe.
- 2011
Agreement to combine with Quepasa
[1]myYearBook announced an agreement to be acquired by Quepasa.
- 2008
Series B financing
[1]The company raised $13 million in a Series B financing round.
- 2006
First reported institutional financing
[1]myYearBook raised $4.1 million from U.S. Venture Partners and First Round Capital.
Products and positioning
A multi-brand social-entertainment and online-dating group combining social discovery, community networking, dating, and live video.
Social discovery and dating application · 2012
MeetMe
MeetMe is the principal service associated with the company's post-2012 identity. It developed from the combination of myYearBook and Quepasa and represents the group's social-discovery and dating focus. The service has also been identified as a destination to which Tumblr Live users could migrate after Tumblr discontinued its livestreaming product.
Social-networking service · 2005
myYearBook
myYearBook was the original social-networking service created by Dave and Catherine Cook in 2005 with support from Geoff Cook. It began as a youth-oriented network introduced at the founders' New Jersey high school. After its combination with Quepasa, the business was renamed MeetMe in 2012.
Social-discovery and dating application
Skout
Skout was acquired by MeetMe in October 2016 for $55 million. Its addition expanded the company's collection of social-discovery services and contributed to the multi-brand portfolio later managed under The Meet Group name.
Dating application
LOVOO
LOVOO is a German dating application acquired by The Meet Group in September 2017. The acquisition strengthened the group's European presence and added a prominent dating-focused service to a portfolio that also included social networking and live video.
Social-networking service
hi5
hi5 has been listed among The Meet Group's social-networking and dating-related services. The supplied reference identifies it as part of the company's brand portfolio but does not provide detailed information about its launch, product development, or current operation.
Dating and social-networking application
Growlr
Growlr has been identified as one of the dating and social services owned or operated within The Meet Group's portfolio. The supplied material does not provide additional detail about its founding, target market, or current standalone status.
Social-networking service
Tagged
Tagged is one of the social-networking services associated with The Meet Group. It formed part of the company's broader collection of community and social-discovery products, although the supplied sources do not describe its individual operations or present status in detail.
Live-streaming technology
Livebox
Livebox is The Meet Group's live-streaming product or technology platform. Its significance is documented through Tumblr's 2022 announcement that Tumblr Live would be based on Livebox. The reference material does not provide technical specifications or clarify whether Livebox remains offered independently.
Brand decisions
2022
Provide Livebox technology for Tumblr LiveProduct launchBackground
The Meet Group had developed live-streaming capabilities through its Livebox product.
Action taken
Tumblr announced Tumblr Live, based on Livebox technology.
Aftermath
The product connected The Meet Group's livestreaming technology with Tumblr's user platform; Tumblr later discontinued Tumblr Live in 2024.
2020
Join ProSiebenSat.1 Media's ParshipMeet GroupM&ABackground
The Meet Group had developed a multi-brand portfolio spanning dating, social discovery, networking, and live video.
Action taken
ProSiebenSat.1 Media acquired The Meet Group and formed ParshipMeet Group to manage it together with Parship.
Aftermath
The Meet Group became part of a larger online-dating and relationship-services organization rather than operating as an independent corporate group.
2017
Rebrand as The Meet GroupStrategyBackground
The company acquired if(we), adding to its expanding collection of social products.
Action taken
On April 3, 2017, the company changed its name to The Meet Group.
Aftermath
The group identity emphasized management of multiple social, dating, and live-video brands.
2017
Acquire LOVOOM&ABackground
The Meet Group continued expanding its dating and international operations.
Action taken
The company acquired German dating application LOVOO for $70 million.
Aftermath
The transaction added a major German dating service and expanded the group's European footprint.
Acquisition price. $70 million (September 2017)
2016
Acquire SkoutM&ABackground
MeetMe sought to expand its social-discovery portfolio.
Action taken
The company acquired Skout for $55 million.
Aftermath
Skout became part of the portfolio that was subsequently organized under The Meet Group.
Acquisition price. $55 million (October 2016)
2012
Adopt the MeetMe identity after the Quepasa combinationStrategyBackground
myYearBook combined with Quepasa after the announced 2011 acquisition agreement.
Action taken
The combined business was renamed MeetMe in June 2012.
Aftermath
The new identity became the basis for the company's subsequent acquisition-led expansion.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
The Meet Group begins rolling out profile verification on MeetMe[2]
The Meet Group announced a phased rollout of an AI-powered face-verification badge to MeetMe members, with later rollouts planned for Skout and Tagged.
Reported
The Meet Group partners with East Trenton Center Food Bank for Thanksgiving initiative[3]
The Meet Group teamed up with the East Trenton Center Food Bank for a holiday-season initiative, offering a special-edition virtual gift through its MeetMe, Skout and Tagged mobile apps so users could participate.
Sources3 sources
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