An exclusive interview with Founder Roman Hallouche, Nexuus

An exclusive interview with Founder Roman Hallouche, Nexuus

In a world of endless swipes and surface-level matches, Nexuus is pioneering a more meaningful way to connect. Set to launch soon, Nexuus is India’s first AI and voice- enabled matchmaking platform, designed to foster emotionally intelligent, real-world relationships that go far beyond photos and bios.

Unlike traditional dating apps, Nexuus doesn’t rely on algorithms that prioritize looks or location. Instead, it listens to your voice, tone, energy, and rhythm using advanced AI- driven voice analysis to understand emotional depth, compatibility, and intent. Every match is intelligently curated to align with your personality, values, and emotional wavelength. What sets Nexuus apart is its commitment to authentic connection. It’s not about dopamine- driven swipes but about presence, emotional awareness, and meaningful pacing helping people build relationships rooted in understanding, not appearance. The app also emphasizes privacy, affordability, and inclusivity, ensuring that users feel safe and valued while exploring connections that truly matter. As India’s first voice-led relationship platform, Nexuus represents the next evolution of digital matchmaking one where technology doesn’t replace emotion but amplifies it.   

(An exclusive interview with Founder Roman Hallouche, Nexuus )

 Q: What was the “lightbulb moment” that inspired you to create this dating app? Was there a personal experience that highlighted a gap in the market?

It wasn’t one single moment, it was a pattern I kept seeing everywhere. No matter where I was, whether at home or traveling, friends around me were genuinely looking for meaningful relationships, but the tools available just weren’t helping. People were frustrated. The desire for connection was there, but the apps felt transactional, fast-paced, and emotionally shallow.

There’s a real imbalance in the market: so many people want something intentional, but the platforms push behavior that leads to the opposite. Add to that the fact that social values have changed, people aren’t meeting face-to-face like they used to, and many lack the confidence or context to connect in person. That gap between intention and experience is what led me to build Nexuus, a space where voice and presence drive emotional connection from the start.

Q: What is the core mission of Nexuus? What problem are you fundamentally trying to solve for singles that other apps weren’t?

The mission of Nexuus is to create more emotionally present, voice-led connections, starting from how we listen, not just how we look. Most dating apps are optimized for speed, convenience, and surface- level engagement. But that’s not how real connection works.

We’re solving for the gap between what people say they want, authentic, meaningful relationships, and what current platforms encourage them to do, which often leads to burnout or disconnection. Nexuus is built for people who are tired of swiping and want to slow down, be intentional, and connect in a way that actually reflects who they are, not just how they appear on a screen. Voice gives us that. It brings emotional tone, energy, and presence back into the experience.

Q: How did you come up with the name and brand identity? What feeling or message were you trying to convey?

The name Nexuus comes from the word nexus, which means a point of connection, but we added the extra “u” to center the user in the experience. It’s also a subtle nod to voice, you, your sound, your presence. The brand is inspired by the idea of resonance, both emotional and vocal. We wanted everything, from the name to the visual identity, to feel modern, grounded, and intentional. Visually, we avoided the bright, gamified colors common in dating apps. Instead, we leaned into deeper tones, plum, navy, muted neutrals, to evoke trust, depth, and a sense of calm. The message is simple: this isn’t a loud app for quick hits. Nexuus is about presence, reflection, and meaningful connection.

Q: What is your long-term vision for the future of Nexuus? Where do you see it in 5 or 10 years?

Long-term, Nexuus isn’t just about dating, it’s about redefining how people connect emotionally in a digital world. In five to ten years, I see Nexuus becoming the leading voice-led platform for emotionally intelligent connection, not just romantic but across coaching, self-development, and meaningful conversation.

Voice is powerful. It’s underused in tech, and yet it’s one of the most human forms of expression. Our vision is to build an ecosystem where your voice becomes your emotional signature, where presence, tone, and energy matter more than photos or performance. Whether it’s for dating, personal growth, or intentional communities, Nexuus will be the space where people go when they want connection that actually feels real.

Q: In a crowded market with giants like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge, what truly makes Nexuus different? What is your unique value proposition?

What sets Nexuus apart is that we don’t optimize for speed or volume, we optimize for emotional resonance. We're not another dating app trying to help people swipe faster. We’re a voice-led platform that helps people connect more intentionally.

Our unique value is how we use voice, not just as a feature, but as the foundation of how matches are made. Your voice says more about you than a profile ever could: your energy, your calm, your sincerity. That emotional layer creates connection in a way that photos and bios never will.

We also designed the whole experience to slow things down. It's minimal by design, intentional by nature. Nexuus is for people who are ready to move beyond the swipe and into something real.

Q: How does your matching algorithm work? Is it purely based on proximity and swiping, or does it incorporate personality, values, or behavior?

We don’t use swiping at all, and proximity isn’t our focus either. The core of Nexuus is voice. Right now, our AI listens to how someone speaks, their tone, pace, energy, and uses that to help inform their emotional profile. It’s not just about words; it’s about how you show up vocally. That already gives us a powerful baseline for more intentional matching.

While our current system isn’t yet fully decoding personality and values through voice alone, the technology is evolving quickly, and we’re building right alongside it. Voice AI is already strong today, and it’s only going to get more powerful. Over time, it will allow us to match people based on deeper traits like emotional patterns, communication style, and even unspoken energy. So while we’re starting intentionally simple, we’re on a path toward something truly unique, an emotionally intelligent matching experience powered by your voice.

Q: How do you approach user safety and authenticity? What specific measures (e.g., photo verification, reporting tools, community guidelines) have you implemented?

Safety and authenticity are central to everything we’re building. From day one, we’ve designed Nexuus to slow things down and encourage more intentional, emotionally present interactions. That alone filters out a lot of low-effort or disingenuous behavior.

One of the features we’re proud of is video intros, each user records a short video to introduce themselves. It’s simple, but powerful. You can see the person, hear their tone, and get a real sense of their presence. It builds immediate trust and humanizes the experience beyond photos or bios. We also use voice as a natural authenticity layer, it’s hard to fake sincerity or emotional tone when you're speaking. Beyond that, we’ve implemented basic reporting tools, email verification, and a clear onboarding flow that sets expectations for respectful connection.

As we grow, we’ll continue adding layers like voiceprint verification, stronger moderation tools, and evolving community guidelines. Our goal is to create not just a safer space, but one where people feel seen, heard, and respected from the start.

Q: What is your business model? (e.g., Freemium, subscriptions, in-app purchases, advertising?) 

Nexuus follows a premium access model, built around emotional investment and intentional use. Users begin with a guided voice experience that shapes their emotional profile, and their first match is gated behind a conscious decision to move forward. That moment of choice creates a stronger sense of commitment and leads to more meaningful connections.

We offer flexible membership plans; monthly, quarterly, and annual, so users can engage at the level that feels right for them. What’s important to us is accessibility. Traditional matchmaking often costs thousands of dollars, which makes it inaccessible for most people. Our goal is to take that same emotional depth and intentionality, and bring it to a modern, voice-led platform that feels premium but is still within reach.

Q: Can you share any notable metrics you're comfortable with? (e.g., user base size, demographic breakdown, number of successful matches/dates, user engagement rates)?

We're still early in our journey, so while we’re tracking promising engagement metrics, like high demo completion and strong conversion to first match, the bigger story is what’s happening culturally. The demand for connection has never been higher. More people than ever are turning to apps to meet someone, but the tools they’re using aren’t built for what they actually want: something meaningful, something real.

The sky is the limit because the need is universal. Everyone wants to feel connected, but social culture has shifted in ways that make that harder than ever. We’re more digitally connected and emotionally isolated. Nexuus is here to flip that, to give people a tool that actually reflects the kind of connection they’re looking for, and brings presence and emotional depth back into the experience. That’s what drives us, more than numbers alone.

Q: Have you raised venture capital or are you bootstrapped? What has that journey been like?

We’re fully self-funded at this stage. That’s given us the freedom to build Nexuus exactly the way we believe it should be, without pressure to chase short-term growth or compromise the experience. That said, we’re absolutely open to funding if it aligns with our vision and helps us accelerate what matters most: delivering the best possible experience and results for our users. For us, it’s not about raising money for optics, it’s about finding the right partners who share our long-term belief in intentional, emotionally intelligent connection.

Q: What are the biggest operational challenges in running a dating platform?

One of the biggest challenges is balancing emotional depth with product simplicity. Most dating apps overload the user with features, but that often leads to distraction, not connection. We’re doing the opposite, designing a slower, more intentional experience, but that takes constant discipline. Every feature we add has to protect the emotional integrity of the product, not dilute it. Another challenge is managing expectations. People come in with hope, but also with skepticism from past app experiences. We have to rebuild trust, through the tone of the onboarding, the flow of the experience, and the quality of the first match. That’s not easy, but it’s worth it.

Q: Dating app fatigue is a real phenomenon. How does Nexuus combat this and keep the experience feeling fresh and genuine?

We combat fatigue by slowing things down. Nexuus doesn’t give you endless swipes, it gives you emotionally curated matches, based on how you show up through your voice. That intentional rhythm helps users feel grounded instead of overwhelmed. And beyond matching, users can talk to our Voice AI matchmaker at any time. It’s designed to feel like a coach or even a friend, someone you can reflect with, express how you're feeling, or just talk to when you need it. That alone helps people feel more connected, even before they’ve met anyone. It’s not just about matching, it’s about presence.

Q: What responsibility do you feel dating apps have in shaping relationship norms and addressing issues like ghosting or harassment?

Dating apps shape culture more than we realize, so they absolutely have a responsibility. Ghosting, harassment, and emotional detachment often stem from platforms that reward quick interactions over real connection. At Nexuus, we’re intentional about creating a different standard. One way we do that is through our Connection Readiness Score, a system that tracks meaningful engagement. It rewards users who show up, stay present, and interact respectfully. If someone ghosts or consistently avoids engaging, it affects their ability to access new matches.

We want people to come in with good faith, to actually take the time to engage with one another. The more someone invests emotionally and respectfully, the better their experience becomes. It’s a simple idea, but it changes everything.

Q: What has been the single most difficult challenge you've faced as a founder, and how did you overcome it?

The hardest challenge has been protecting the clarity of the vision. When you’re building something new, especially in a space as crowded and noisy as dating, it’s easy to get pulled in a hundred directions: features people expect, outside opinions, shortcuts. But I had to keep asking myself: What are we actually here to solve? And stay grounded in that answer.

Nexuus isn’t about speed or scale, it’s about presence, voice, and emotional resonance. Holding that line, especially without outside funding, has been tough, but it’s also what makes this product different.

Q: What's a common misconception people have about running a dating app?

People often think running a dating app is just about getting people to match and message, as if it’s all about features or growth metrics. But real connection isn’t a feature, it’s a feeling. And creating a space where people feel safe, seen, and emotionally present is way harder than it looks. You’re not just managing tech. You’re shaping culture, trust, and behavior, often for people who’ve been burned by past experiences. That takes restraint, intention, and a completely different mindset than most fast-growth apps.

Q: How do you balance the need for growth with maintaining a high-quality, safe user experience?

For us, it’s simple: if we focus fully on building the right experience and a strong product, growth will follow. We’re not chasing numbers, we’re building trust. When people feel safe, seen, and emotionally engaged, they tell others. That kind of word-of-mouth growth is way more powerful than any ad campaign.

We’ve designed Nexuus to reward meaningful interaction through things like the Connection Readiness Score, and we’re intentional about the tone we set from the first screen. It’s a slower path, but a stronger one.

Q: What's one piece of advice you would give to someone thinking about starting a tech company today?

Build something you’d still want to work on, even if it takes five years to take off. Trends come and go, but clarity of purpose lasts. If you’re deeply connected to the problem you’re solving, it’ll carry you through the hard parts, because there will be hard parts. Also, don’t try to build for everyone. Build for someone, really well. Serve them fully, listen closely, and let the product grow from there.

Q: Where do you see the future of online dating heading in the next 2–3 years? What are the emerging trends?

I think we’re moving into a phase where presence matters more than profile. People are tired of swiping, curating, and performing. The future is voice, video, and real-time energy, formats that feel more human and emotionally honest.

We’ll also see a shift from quantity to quality. Instead of maximizing matches, people will want fewer, better ones. Emotional intelligence, intentional design, and personalized matching will become the new standard.

At the same time, AI will play a bigger role, not just in matching, but in guiding, coaching, and helping users reflect along the way. That’s where Nexuus is headed: using technology to support connection, not distract from it.

Q: How do you see technologies like AI (Artificial Intelligence) and VR (Virtual Reality) integrating into the dating experience on your platform?

AI is already a core part of Nexuus, it powers the voice experience, helps shape emotional profiles, and supports users through a matchmaker that feels more like a guide than a bot. Over time, AI will only get better at understanding not just what people say, but how they feel. That opens the door to more personalized, emotionally intelligent matches.

As for VR, we’re watching it with curiosity. For us, it’s not about gimmicks, it’s about presence. If VR can create a space that feels emotionally real and grounded in voice, there’s potential. But our focus will always be on technologies that deepen connection, not distract from it. The tech should disappear into the background and let the person come forward.

Q: If you could change one thing about the current online dating landscape, what would it be?

I’d remove the pressure to perform. Most apps turn dating into a game, optics over authenticity, speed over substance. That creates burnout, disconnection, and a lot of missed potential. If I could change one thing, it’d be to bring people back to presence, to give them space to show up as they are, not as they think they need to appear. That’s exactly what we’re building with Nexuus.