Dmitry Volkov and SDVentures: Insights, Partnerships and More

Dmitry Borisovich Volkov is a serial entrepreneur, investor in AI and founder of Social Discovery Group (SDG), the 3rd largest social discovery company in the world. Founded in 2014, SDG unites over 60 brands comprising 500 million users across 150 countries.

Brief Background of Entrepreneur Dmitry Volkov

Dmitry Borisovich Volkov was born on July 9, 1976. Dmitry has completed Executive Education programs at Harvard Business School and the University of California, Berkeley. He is a co-founder of the International Center for Consciousness Studies (ICCS) – a non-profit organization founded in 2024, which explores the nature of consciousness and the mind through philosophical and interdisciplinary research. Dmitry Volkov has authored two books on problems of consciousness and free will in analytical philosophy.

Dmitry Volkov’s Business Ventures: Enabling People Find Love Online

“If 30 years ago, most people were married at the age of 25, now most men and women are single at the age of 25. Dating is now a part of life, not just a short period before marriage,” the entrepreneur says. “Today, millions of people browse the feeds of Facebook and Instagram the first thing in the morning. Similarly, the “swiping” process, of viewing a person’s profile on dating platforms, is also a popular phenomenon today and becoming a part of everyday routine for millions,” explains Social Discovery Group’s Dmitry Volkov.

According to the expert, this process involves the release of “feel-good” hormones after an action has taken place. “A person gets an endorphin boost after a “match” (when a user likes someone they also liked), similar to what happens when you get a like on your post or a positive comment from your friends. It’s a small victory, and it brings joy. And now a huge number of people are hooked on to this joy,” Volkov affirms.

Volkov’s friend, entrepreneur and investor David Yan, also believes in the potential of online dating. “Our entire world is going online. Likes on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are the boundaries of modern life. In short, social media and online dating have become a part of our daily lives,” he says.

SDVentures was rebranded as Social Discovery Group in 2022 to reflect its evolution beyond dating into a broader mission of digital companionship, entertainment, and emotional connection.

In 2019, SDGroup acquired Dil Mil, a matchmaking app for South Asian expats for $50 million. “The dating industry is consolidating its business, and I see potential in it. I have the opportunity to participate in this big game and the resources to do so,” Volkov says.

In 2020, SDGroup announced the launch of a $50 million corporate venture fund. The fund’s stated aim is to invest in dating startups at an early stage. The fund’s first investment was in the American dating service S’More, which is built on the idea of allowing users to talk to someone first and then see their picture.

In 2021, SDGroup bought the Swiss dating app “Once”, a leader in the field of “conscious” dating in Western European countries, for $18 million. Once is different from most dating apps. It only introduces the user to one person per day. The couple has 24 hours to catch each other’s attention and continue the conversation if both are interested. Artificial intelligence matches couples by analyzing user profiles, romantic preferences, and dating histories. Additionally, users can rate each person they have interacted with, helping the system to better understand their preferences.

SDG Lab Venture Studio: Trailblazing Inventions in Virtual Intimacy

Dmitry Borisovich Volkov is also an advisor and anchor investor at SDG Lab, a corporate studio whose aim is to invest in startups that use AI and social discovery technologies to redefine how individuals interact online. The main aim of SDG Lab is to address the growing crisis of loneliness. To that effect, it partners with motivated entrepreneurs to build successful and profitable products.

SDG Lab simplifies the fundraising process with clear stages for seed investment, Minimum Viable Product (MVP) development, and growth capital, thus ensuring that promising ideas evolve into sustainable, scalable businesses.

A few exciting products in its portfolio include:

Flure: A dating app that empowers users to embrace their true selves and explore their desires without inhibitions.

AstroLove: An online platform that matches users based on their horoscope signs, allowing them to analyze their compatibility in greater depth through astrology.

Kiseki: It is Japan’s first digital romance communication platform, connecting Japanese singles seeking international connections.TheOne: An AI-powered tool designed to simplify communication by offering intelligent chat suggestions. It enhances user interactions, making conversations more efficient and engaging.

VR Chat&Date: It is a VR application that transforms video chats into deeply immersive experiences. By leveraging a stereo camera’s volumetric effects, VR Chat&Date enhances interactions, creating a heightened sense of presence and closeness through VR headsets – no matter where you are in the world.

Dmitry Borisovich Volkov Lists Crucial Factors VCs Look For When Investing

Team: This is one of the key points. It is people who create technology and products, not the other way around. Many of the largest VC firms have a similar opinion. For example, well-known venture capitalist Rich Miner, a partner at Google Ventures, believes that when selecting startups, it is worth looking mainly at who the founders and their teams are, even if the project does not yet have a strong product.

Metrics: It matters at what stage the project is. “If it is in its early stages (seed/round A), then the startup can only be evaluated by operational metrics such as the user base. If it is in later stages, then, of course, we must check for financial indicators from the project, including MRR (Monthly Run Rate). Based on these criteria, we always try to select projects for investment very carefully,” says Dmitry Volkov of Dating Group.

Business Model: The most important thing here is the uniqueness of the idea and the product itself. If a company is one of the pioneers in the market, it immediately has a significant advantage over its competitors. It is not necessary for a startup to be the creator of a particular business idea. For example, Uber, while being the clear leader in its segment, was not the first company in the ridesharing industry.

Market: If the idea is unique in its own way, it is not a guarantee of success in 100% of cases. It is clear that the need the product satisfies must exist (or at least its emergence in the market will significantly change it). This means that the startup should preferably be in an already growing market. Even better is to create a market that has the best prospects. “Again, two of the most “expensive” private online companies, Uber and Airbnb, serve as examples. Both projects have shaped the modern sharing economy and, in fact, created it from scratch,” points out Dmitry Volkov.

Collaborating With Global Partners

Dmitry Borisovich Volkov believes the world is a global village, and therefore, prioritizes working with global partners. One of these partners is DN Capital. Headquartered in London, the fund reviews many projects in Europe. Steven Schlenker, Founding Managing Partner at DN Capital, praises Dmitry for his entrepreneurial insights, thought leadership in consumer technology services, and general business sense.

On the attractiveness of the European market, Dmitry says, “In Silicon Valley, the startup market is overheated. However, there are many good projects in Europe that are more realistic in terms of valuation. Therefore, we are focusing on Europe. Other venture investment partners, such as the ITech Fund, are also working in this area.”

Entrepreneur Dmitry Volkov is a partner in several other international funds, including Blockchain Capital, Mangrove Capital Partners, Khosla Ventures, 500 Startups, Dream Machine, Target Global, iTech Capital, and Oaktree. He also serves as an international transaction facilitator for the sale of IT companies and is an expert in this field.

How Volkov’s Relationship With Global VCs Expands SDVentures’ Access

A shrewd investor, Dmitry Volkov believes in the value of diversification and is known for his ability to identify emerging trends and opportunities. His company SDVentures invests directly in young IT companies, in venture funds, and in funds of venture funds. He follows a balanced approach by allocating capital to high-profile funds and to individual startups, which helps in keeping deal flow broad.

Mutual information exchange: Partners share market notes, diligence findings, and invitations to follow-on rounds. In return, SDVentures offers perspectives drawn from scaling products to millions of users, along with real-world lessons in trust and transparency. These two-way exchanges improve access to quality deals without diluting focus on ethical safeguards.

Networking sessions: Twice a year, SDG Lab hosts business events that see the participation of internal innovators, external founders, and partner funds. These sessions create a structured setting for feedback, funding conversations, and introductory meetings.

Limiting risk: SDVentures’ Fund-of-Funds program channels a single pool of anchor capital into multiple specialist managers, which helps offer broad sector coverage while limiting concentration risk.

Bringing Arts and Business Together

Social Discovery Group’s Dmitry Volkov is a man of many facets. According to him, the main difference between his company and other international holdings is that SDG focuses on projects in the field of social discovery, which are resources that connect people with common interests for dating, travel, and language learning. Secondly, he believes that creativity inspires innovation, which is why SDG’s corporate values are based on innovative technologies and contemporary art. “We actively participate in supporting and implementing cultural initiatives at the intersection of art, science, and technology,” informs entrepreneur Dmitry Volkov.

He is an avid art collector and has invested in emerging artists whose work he admires. He sees his interest in art as an extension of his broader philosophical and intellectual quest.

On the role of art in IT business, Volkov says, “When we started investing in art, we became more interesting to our own employees, and we gained an additional level of connection with our partners. Established in 2016, the SDV Arts & Science Foundation invests in art, and its projects can be considered more of a philanthropic endeavor than a profit-making venture. However, we are gradually building an impressive collection of contemporary art, which could potentially generate profits in the future. Recently, we added the technological installation “Silk” by renowned Russian artist Dmitry Morozov to our collection. It is an automatic musical instrument similar to a harp, with strings that are tensioned based on the exchange rate of Bitcoin against different currencies. I believe that art, philosophy, and business will always be a part of my life.”

Dmitry Volkov of Social Discovery Group says his interest in philosophy and art influenced his approach to entrepreneurship. He sees business as a form of creative expression and believes that entrepreneurs are responsible for creating products and services that enrich people’s lives.