Draft:Ana Kirova

CEO of Feeld From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ana Kirova (born c. 1992) is a Bulgarian-born designer, technologist, and business executive based in London. She is the chief executive officer of the dating app Feeld, a company known for its inclusive approach to intimacy, identity, and relationship structures.[1][2] Kirova has been credited with reshaping Feeld’s image from a niche app for threesomes into a global platform for queer and open-minded connection, while also instituting progressive internal policies such as a company-wide minimum salary and a fully remote workforce.[3][4][5]

  • Comment: A bit promotional. Sources largely not linked even though they would be online, largely the sources are about the company or interviews with her about the company. Avgeekamfot (talk) 02:35, 10 November 2025 (UTC)

Bornc. 1992 (age approx. 33)
Varna, Bulgaria
AlmamaterImperial College Business School (MBA)
OccupationsBusiness executive, product & design leader
Yearsactive2014–present
Quick facts Ana Kirova, Born ...
Ana Kirova
Bornc. 1992 (age approx. 33)
Varna, Bulgaria
Alma materImperial College Business School (MBA)
OccupationsBusiness executive, product & design leader
Years active2014–present
Known forCEO of Feeld
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Her work sits at the intersection of technology, sexuality, and design, and she is frequently cited as one of the few queer women leading a major global tech company.[6]

Early life and education

Kirova was born in Varna, Bulgaria, in the early 1990s and grew up during the country’s post-Soviet cultural transition.[7] She attended a public language high school in Varna before relocating to London in 2011 to study graphic design.[8] In London, she studied Graphic and Digital Design at the University of Greenwich and completed a BA in 2014. In 2022, she graduated with an MBA from Imperial College Business School.[9]

Career

Early career (2011–2014)

Before joining Feeld, Kirova worked as a freelance designer and brand strategist in London’s tech and fashion sectors.[8] Her early work involved collaborations with independent studios and clients focused on digital aesthetics and social identity.

Feeld and the evolution of 3nder (2014–2020)

In 2014, Kirova began collaborating with multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur Dimo Trifonov, who had created an early prototype of the app then called 3nder.[10] The concept emerged from their shared interest in creating a space for open relationships and self-expression. When Tinder’s parent company Match Group filed a trademark lawsuit over the name, 3nder rebranded as Feeld in 2016.[10] By 2018, Kirova had become Feeld’s head of product, leading key differentiating features such as expanded gender options.[11]

CEO tenure (2021–present)

Kirova was appointed Chief Executive Officer in April 2021.[12] Her leadership marked a new phase for Feeld, emphasizing ethical growth and cultural dialogue rather than scale alone.[13]

In November 2021, she announced a minimum salary of £60,000 (approximately US $80,000) for all full-time employees, a move covered by Time and The Guardian as a rare example of equitable pay in tech startups.[3][4] Between 2022 and 2025, Feeld doubled its revenue, reaching £39.5 million in 2024 according to The Guardian.[14] Feeld now operates in more than 100 countries, and under Kirova’s leadership the company has focused on sustainable and profitable growth.[15]

Under her leadership, Feeld underwent a community-driven rebrand in 2023, involving members in most aspects of the rebrand and marking the app’s second major redesign since 2016.[16]

In 2024, Feeld launched A Feeld/Fucking Magazine (AFM), an annual print publication exploring art, sexuality, and intimacy with contributors such as Leilah Weinraub, Sasha Bonét, and Tavi Gevinson.[16] Under Kirova’s direction, Feeld also introduced new moderation protocols, anti-harassment tools, and AI-assisted privacy features aimed at preventing image misuse and data leaks.[17]

Her public interviews, such as those in Interview Magazine, The Independent, and Them, have often focused on the ethics of digital desire, consent, and inclusivity in product design.[18][2][6]

Influence and impact

Kirova’s leadership has been cited by journalists and cultural critics as emblematic of a “post-Tinder” era of online connection—one in which dating apps function as spaces for identity exploration rather than transactional matching.[19][15] She has been recognized for applying design principles from fine art and architecture to digital products, emphasizing “spatial empathy” i.e the sense of care and awareness users bring into virtual encounters.[13] Her decision to continue expanding Feeld as a remote-first company with staff across more than 30 countries has also influenced hiring models among ethical and creative-tech startups.[4]

Public speaking and media

Kirova has spoken at SXSW (2024), Web Summit Lisbon (2023), and the London Design Biennale (2022), discussing subjects such as “Designing for Intimacy” and “The Future of Ethical Tech.”[20][21][22]

She appeared on the Simon Sinek Podcast episode “Love Without Judgment” (2024) and on Annie Mac’s Changes podcast (2023), where she discussed the psychology of online connection and queer visibility in tech leadership.[23][24]

Her written work includes essays in A Feeld/Fucking Magazine blending memoir and design criticism.[25]

Personal life

Kirova lives in Europe with her partner Dimo Trifonov, Feeld’s founder and creative director.[19] She has said her Bulgarian upbringing and design training shaped her focus on ambiguity and emotional minimalism in both life and work.[7]

Recognition

  • Named to The Independent’s E2E Tech 100 list (2024)[2]
  • Featured in Forbes “Next 1000 Tech Leaders” (2023)[26]
  • Included in Time’s Leaders in Work Culture roundup (2022)[27]
  • Named a Forbes 30 Under 30, Europe Class of 2022 (2022)[28]

She has been interviewed or profiled in The New Yorker, The Guardian, Fast Company, Wired, Elle, Interview Magazine, Them, and the Financial Times.[19][1][13][5][16][18][6][15]

See also

References

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