Better Roommate Matches Through Science
Our mission is to deliver better roommate matches through science. We believe finding a compatible roommate shouldn't be a gamble. Domu Match is a science-driven platform that uses compatibility research to help students and young professionals find roommates they'll actually get along with. Safety, transparency, and evidence-based matching guide everything we do.
Our Story
How we started, what drives us, and where we're headed.
Whether you are stepping onto a university campus for the first time or starting your career as a young professional, these years are supposed to be transformative. Yet, the excitement of an acceptance letter or a new job offer quickly fades into the anxiety of a housing lottery. We have seen this story play out too many times. Brilliant students struggling to pass exams, and driven professionals burning out at work - not because the tasks were too hard, but because a toxic home environment was draining their energy. Domu Match was born from this realization. In the high-stakes worlds of higher education and early careers, a compatible flatmate isn't just a convenience. In fact, they are the difference between feeling isolated and feeling supported.
We refused to accept that your mental health and daily peace should be left to chance, so we built the infrastructure to change it. By replacing random assignment and endless scrolling with compatibility science, we help students and young professionals find homes based on shared living values, daily rhythms - like study routines versus 9-to-5 work schedules - and mutual respect. We bridge the gap between strangers, turning the daunting process of "finding a room" into the meaningful experience of building a micro-community. Because we separate students and young professionals into dedicated matching pools and verify every user with a government ID, our technology works quietly in the background to create a foundation of trust before you ever unlock the front door.
This is about more than just a place to sleep. It is about reclaiming your home as a sanctuary. We believe that who you live with shapes how you grow during these critical years, which is why we are partnering with forward-thinking universities and housing agencies to make wellbeing-focused living the new standard. Whether you are an international student navigating a new culture, a first-year leaving home, or a young professional seeking a peaceful retreat after a long workday, our mission remains the same: to ensure that when you close your books or log off for the day, you are coming home to a place where you can truly recharge, thrive, and be yourself.
Danish Samsudin
Co-Founder
Product & Strategy
“As a former President of ESN Breda, I've seen how much universities are doing to prioritise their students well-being and mental health. It takes an entire 'behind the scenes' team to create a meaningful impact towards students, especially internationals. But I know I could contribute not just more, but better. After just a few months, I truly believe we now have what it takes to support HEI's with their long term goals and objectives.”
Vitor Mello
Co-Founder
Sales & Marketing
“I watched too many brilliant friends lose their spark simply because they were living in toxic environments. I refused to accept that 'bad roommates' are just a part of student life. We built Domu Match to prove that peace of mind isn't luck - it's a standard we can guarantee. I'm incredibly proud that we finally have the tool I wish my friends had years ago.”
Our Journey
2025 August
The Problem Identified
We recognized that nearly half of all students face roommate conflicts that impact well-being and academic performance. Random assignment wasn't working.
2025 September
Research Phase
We analyzed peer-reviewed studies on compatibility, peer effects, and student housing satisfaction from Nature and other leading sources.
2025 October
Algorithm Development
We built a science-driven algorithm that analyzes 40+ lifestyle and academic factors, informed by social compatibility research.
2025 November
First Version Complete
The first version of Domu Match's user interface was put together, its core functionality was built, and we finalized the weightings for our matching algorithm.
2026 January
Debugging and Error Testing
The platform is currently undergoing several changes to debug multiple errors and ensure that during the soft launch, users have a seamless experience. This will allow beta testers to provide more feedback on introducing the right features for the platform.
2026 March
Expanding Beyond Students
Domu Match began with students at the center. In March we pivoted to welcome young professionals too: early feedback and demand showed that finding a compatible roommate is not only a student problem. We refocused the product, messaging, and matching priorities so both audiences are first-class - same science-backed approach, tailored to how each group lives and searches for housing.
2026 April
Beta Testing Soft Launch
The platform will be launched to a small group of students and young professionals in Breda and Tilburg. We will work together to ensure that we have the most important and wanted features that users expect working properly before our full planned launch.
2026 June
Full Launch Planned
We are expected to launch the platform for our first students and young professionals in June. They will finally be able to use our science-backed matching algorithm to connect with and find compatible roommates for the first time ever in The Netherlands.
Where We're Headed
Our vision is to make science-backed roommate matching the standard for shared living. Every student and young professional deserves compatibility-based matching that considers lifestyle, personality, and daily rhythms.
Short-term goals
- Expand partnerships with universities across the Netherlands
- Build a community of verified students and young professionals finding better matches
- Continuously tune the matching model using outcomes and feedback
- Launch user-created group chats to form houses faster
- Introduce richer profiles with bios, interests, and highlights
Long-term vision
- Partner with housing agencies to offer compatibility-matched rooms
- Provide in-platform legal contracts users can review and sign
- Enable roommate agreements to set expectations and accountability
- Offer individual and group calling for deeper conversations
- Launch mobile apps so Domu Match is accessible everywhere
The Evidence: Why Compatibility Matters
Research on students and university housing shows that compatibility impacts academic performance, retention, and satisfaction. Here's what the data tells us.
Report Roommate Conflict
Among students, nearly half face ongoing conflict. Negative peer effects hurt grades, well-being, and retention.
Golding et al., "Negative Roommate Relationships and the Health and Well-being of Undergraduate College Students"
How we solve it:
We analyze 40+ factors - study habits, cleanliness, social needs - to prevent conflict before it starts.
Want to Switch Rooms
Among students, bad matches create churn, stress, and extra work for housing teams.
Deng (Empirical Study of Dormitory Conflict)
How we solve it:
Transparent matching helps students make informed choices, reducing churn and improving retention.
Satisfied When Compatible
Among students, prioritizing compatibility drives housing satisfaction and retention.
InsideHigherEd coverage of SDSU survey (2024)
How we solve it:
Our science-backed approach helps students find roommates as compatible as their best friends.
Why Compatibility Matters: Peer Effects, Retention, and Satisfaction
In student and shared-living contexts, roommate conflicts have real academic and emotional costs. Compatibility compounds over time: strong matches mean better grades, retention, and satisfaction. Poor matches create stress, churn, and lower performance.
Cao et al., "Heterogeneous peer effects of college roommates on academic performance" (Nature, 2024)
What Drives Us
We are a mission-led startup focused on making shared living safer, happier, and more compatible for students and young professionals.
- Safety above all: Every user is verified. Every interaction is secure.
- Science-driven: Our algorithm is grounded in peer-reviewed compatibility research.
- Transparent: We show you exactly why you're compatible with each match.
- Partnership-focused: We work with universities to make better matching the standard.