A new dating app that gradually reveals people’s pictures as they swipe through prompts is live in Toronto.
Bokay was co-founded by life-long friends Ali Momen and Carlos Sabbah.
Momen is a multi-hyphenate, award-winning theatre,TV and film actor, known for roles in Come From Away, Star Trek: Discovery and Beeba Boys. He is also a pioneering tech entrepreneur making waves in the dating app space and CEO of Bokay.
Meanwhile, Sabbah, who is Bokay’s CTO, is a graphic designer and social media buff turned full-stack developer with an impressive portfolio of over 60 apps to his name.
Bokay was built upon the notion of a slow swipe, and the concept was born when a friend of Momen and Sabbah’s shared her reflections on navigating a rocky online dating landscape.
“She shared how superficial interactions on dating apps often left her feeling unseen and disconnected,” Momen told Now Toronto in an email statement.
The idea of introducing a blurred image that gradually sharpens came to Momen after a friend recalled a story to him.
The friend was sitting in a work presentation where she was initially unimpressed by the presenter, but as her colleague spoke more and his personality began to shine through, her attraction to him grew.
This moment of restrained discovery set Bokay in motion.
It’s a place “where initial impressions are blurred, and clarity emerges through engaging prompts,” Momen explained.
As users interact, each person’s photo comes slowly into focus.
“This gradual unveiling is central to Bokay’s mission—encouraging deeper, more meaningful connections by allowing us to see and understand each other completely,” Momen continued.
In app questions range from “Who are your sidekicks for a zombie apocalypse?” and ”What would be your last meal?“ to introspective queries such as, “What tradition would you pass on to your children”’ or ”If you could create a public holiday, what would it celebrate?”
“Each type of question serves a purpose. While some are crafted to inject fun and creativity into the interaction, others are intended to uncover deeper values and life philosophies,” Momen explained.
Over ten years have passed since people were first introduced to mindlessly swiping through dating profiles, but Momen said Bokay counteracts the burgeoning fatigue plaguing many online daters, by tapping into more “emotionally mature” usership.
“It encourages users to look beyond first impressions, to consider the entirety of a person, and to approach the significant decision of whom to date with the care it deserves,” Momen said.
Throughout the Bokay development process, Momen and Sabbah paid careful attention to Toronto’s dynamic social fabric.
The city is bustling with activity often fuelled by a need for “instant gratification,” explained Momen. However, Bokay seeks to offset the blinding pace of Toronto life, by injecting intentionality into its dating environment.
To achieve this, every Bokay member is verified from the outset to ensure everyone on the app is a serious user.
It also has strict moderation policies in place to mitigate the risk of misrepresentation and ghosting, and plans to host singles events in the city are currently in the works.
The app also features a handful of thoughtful touches, including a gentle pulse feature that activates when a new profile is revealed, designed to mimic a heart beat, and a streamlined method for selecting prompts that “eliminates decision fatigue,” Momen said.
Bokay allows users to set detailed filters, and utilizes people’s answers to connect them with their most appropriate matches.
Thousands of Toronto singles are currently using Bokay, whose immediate goal is to expand its reach across Canada before debuting in the U.S.
Bokay is free to download and use. Bokay+ includes in app premium features and can be purchased for $19.99 a month or $79.99 for a yearly subscription.
