A startup called Diem is on a mission to address the issue of search engine gender bias. This occurs when default results are overwhelmingly male-centric, leaving women feeling unsatisfied with the answers they receive to personal and taboo questions online. In response, Diem has created a social search engine that offers a safe and inclusive space for women and non-binary individuals to share their personal stories and ask questions about a variety of topics such as sexual health, mental health, body positivity, and relationship problems.
The Diem platform is available as a web app and on iOS and Android devices. It’s designed to resemble a giant group chat with users from around the world. This allows for open and candid conversations about sensitive topics that users may typically only discuss with their closest friends. Whether it’s leaving a toxic relationship, managing period symptoms, or dealing with unhealthy body image, Diem provides a supportive community. Users also have the option to ask questions anonymously.
One unique aspect of Diem is its AI component. Responses to questions are curated from reputable sources on the internet and, utilizing ChatGPT and user-contributed content, are summarized through “a feminine lens”. This sets Diem apart from traditional search engines and offers a more inclusive perspective on various topics.
Recently, Diem added several new features to their platform, including “Nominate Your Friends”, which allows users to invite friends to participate in discussions, “Spaces” which are micro-communities focused on specific interests (similar to subreddits), and “Daily Briefing”, a personalized selection of 10 daily posts.
Diem has also partnered with verified content providers to offer users information from trusted sources. The initial four companies include Aavia, Hey Jane, Evvy, and Stix, all of which specialize in reproductive health. As Diem continues to expand, they plan to partner with other content providers in areas such as finance and relationships.
With the new nomination tool, users can directly share a question with a friend and involve them in the conversation. In the future, users will also be able to nominate community members who are already on the Diem platform. This feature not only promotes open and inclusive discussions but also helps grow Diem’s user base. By sharing a question with a friend, the friend is required to sign up before participating in the discussion. Currently, Diem has over 40,000 users.
“Spaces” is a new beta feature that aims to create a sense of comfort and community within Diem. This feature allows members to discuss important topics and common interests while getting to know each other better. Six spaces are currently available, run by community members and inspired by popular posts on the platform. These include “Is This Normal”, “No Judgment Pls”, “SOS”, “Hidden History”, “Big Sis Advice”, and “Ask Me Anything”. Diem plans to officially launch this feature in a few weeks and will continue to roll out new spaces each month. Additionally, Diem plans to allow influencers to run some of the spaces as well.
Furthermore, Diem has two more features set to launch this month. “Recommended Reading” is an AI-powered recommendation feature that helps users discover and discuss trending news articles. The other feature allows users to host in-person events with other members of the Diem community. This is an expansion of their insider program, the Diem Society, which is an exclusive community of users who engage in monthly chats to foster a deeper experience within the platform.
While the company has not yet released specific details, they are planning to introduce monetization features that will pay users for contributing content to the platform.
Co-founded by CEO Emma Bates and COO Divia Singh, Diem was inspired by Bates’ personal experience having to take the morning-after pill and struggling to find relatable and useful information online.
“I ended up in this classic internet doom spiral, trying to query others’ experiences and find their stories,” Bates said in a TechCrunch interview. “My search experience felt in direct contrast to the real-world information sharing that exists over dinner tables, in private group chats, in the bathroom at a nightclub… I think that there are so many moments in which we lean on each other to decipher the world around us or the experiences we may be having. And there’s no real place that captures all that information and makes it a resource for everyone.”
Bates and Singh previously worked at DTC travel brand Away before launching Diem.
So far, the company has raised $3.7 million in total, with Stellation Capital leading its most recent seed round. Other investors include Acrew Capital, Flybridge, Techstars, and XFactor Ventures, along with angels Lindsay Kaplan (co-founder of Chief), Steph Korey (co-founder of Away), Jaclyn Johnson (founder of Create & Cultivate), Amber Atherton (early-stage investor), and Abadesi Osunsade (founder of Hustle Crew).
