Lovable’s Anton Osika Is Building One of the Fastest-Growing Startups in History at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
When Anton Osika took the stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 in San Francisco, the audience was thrumming with a level of excitement usually reserved for celebrity founders. But Lovable, the company Osika co-founded and now runs as CEO, was all but unheard of just two years ago among those not in the rarefied world of early-stage venture capital. Today, Lovable is hailed as one of the fastest-growing startups in recent memory—an accomplishment that even seasoned entrepreneurs describe as extraordinary.
From Vision to Velocity
Much of Osika’s path to Lovable dates back to late 2022, when he and his co-founders identified an opportunity in the way people were forming meaningful connections online. Though he is careful to avoid the cliché of calling the company a “dating app,” Osika’s vision behind Lovable involves creating technology that helps build real relationships—romantic, platonic, and professional.
“The internet is good at scale,” Osika said during the keynote discussion, “but not always great at depth. Our aspiration was that this should be a place where people feel truly seen—not just churned through an algorithm.”
That apparently simple concept drew early interest from investors, but what happened next astounded even the most optimistic backers. In less than two years since launching, Lovable has grown to millions of users across North America and Europe (and in parts of Asia) while maintaining exceptionally high engagement figures that many social platforms often fail to reach after years of iteration.
The Turning Point of TechCrunch Disrupt
TechCrunch Disrupt has long been a place where startups break out, but for Lovable this year it was more of a victory lap than an introduction. In the fireside conversation, Osika recounted stories of:
- Late-night bouts of delirious ideation
- Early product experiments gone awry from lack of intimacy
- Discovering the right balance between advanced machine learning and human-centered warmth
“When we set out,” he remembered, “our first prototype was very data-science-centric and not enough user-experience focused. In reality, people do not become friends with those who an algorithm tells them to befriend—they forge friendships because they feel safe and inspired to do so. When we did, it all fell into place.”
Attendees gave Osika a warm reception for his openness. His humility was notable in an industry often marked by bravado. Rather than present himself as a lone visionary, he repeatedly credited the hard work of his team and the enthusiasm of early users for Lovable’s rapid ascent.
The Culture Behind the Growth
Much of Lovable’s success, Osika suspects, comes from a company culture that values creativity and empathy as much as technical prowess.
- Instead of rushing to add features, Lovable devotes significant resources to learning about how people use the platform and how digital interactions affect them.
- Engineers spend as much time reading user stories as they do writing code.
“That’s not a nice idea—it’s a strategy,” Osika explained. “You can’t build a product for real human connection at scale if you’re not really interested in people.”
This people-first approach resonates internally. Lovable’s ability to retain top talent is unique for a hypergrowth startup. Employees describe a workplace where experimentation is encouraged and leadership is candid about both challenges and successes.
Balancing Rapid Expansion and Responsibility
Explosive growth can only continue so long without a reckoning. In today’s tech landscape, questions about data privacy, content moderation, and the mental health impact of digital platforms are ever-present. Osika addressed these concerns directly:
“We decided early on that trust was our No. 1 feature,” he said. “That includes providing users with clear options for how their data is used and ensuring our recommendations are explainable and fair.”
Lovable also promotes healthy interactions by incorporating built-in tools that encourage users to take breaks and reflect on their online behavior.
“Technology is meant to help you with life, not take your entire life over,” Osika emphasized.
Lessons for Other Entrepreneurs
When asked for advice for aspiring founders, Osika offered three key insights:
- Value Patience in Product Development
- “Speed is good, but speed with no purpose gets you nowhere. We spent months on making sure even the smallest details were perfect before we pushed it out in a big way, and it paid off.”
- Build Trust with Investors and Customers
- “It’s easy to chase growth at any cost, but if you don’t stay hyper-focused on the relationship you’re building with your community, there is no business model in the world that is going to save you.”
- Embrace Vulnerability as a Strength
- “People connect with the truth. Your team, your customers, your partners—they respond to leaders that own what they don’t know and bring collaboration.”
Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Lovable
Despite its rapid growth, Osika insists that Lovable is just getting started. The team is developing new features that combine artificial intelligence with a human touch, including:
- Personalized recommendations for in-person gatherings
- More robust tools for building community around shared interests
“We look at Lovable as a lifelong partner for relationships of all kinds,” Osika said. “Whether you meet a best friend, mentor, or romantic partner there, we want to make that feel natural and joyful.”
International expansion is also on the horizon. While Lovable already has momentum in several regions, Osika hinted at plans to enter emerging markets where digital social tools are rapidly evolving.
“Connection is universal,” he said. “The task is to modify our platform in such a way that will allow it to be culturally relevant, but at the same time be loyal to our mission.”
A New Age of Human-Centric Technology
As the TechCrunch Disrupt session came to a close, it became apparent that Anton Osika represents a new kind of tech leadership—one that blends ambition with empathy.
In a field frequently accused of putting growth before humanity, Lovable’s story is a refreshing change. Osika left the audience with a final message reflecting his philosophy:
“Technology is supposed to make us closer, not break us apart. If we can help even a fraction of our users feel truly seen and respected, we’re winning.”
