The Impact
Understanding the loneliness epidemic and our approach to solving it
of adults lost touch with close friends since 2020
of young adults report feeling seriously lonely
increase in mortality risk from chronic loneliness
The Research
The Dunbar Number
Humans can maintain about 150 stable social relationships, but only 5 close ones. Modern life fragments our attention across too many weak connections, leaving no energy for the relationships that matter.
Source: Robin Dunbar, "How Many Friends Does One Person Need?" (2010)
The Proximity Effect
The single biggest predictor of friendship is repeated, unplanned interactions. Remote work and suburban sprawl have eliminated these "collision points" where friendships naturally form.
Source: Jeffrey Hall, "How many hours does it take to make a friend?" (2018)
The Loneliness Loop
Loneliness creates a self-reinforcing cycle: it makes us more sensitive to rejection, less likely to reach out, and more likely to misinterpret neutral social cues as negative.
Source: John Cacioppo, "Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection" (2008)
Our Approach
Design for Second Meetings
Most social apps optimize for first impressions. We optimize for the second, third, and fourth meetings—where real friendship happens.
Remove Friction, Not Agency
We handle logistics and nudges, but you still choose who to meet and when. Technology should enable connection, not replace it.
Quality Over Quantity
We're not trying to expand your network. We're helping you deepen the connections that could become lifelong friendships.
Evidence-Based Design
Every feature is grounded in social psychology research. If it doesn't help build real relationships, it doesn't belong in the app.
Measuring Success
We're partnering with Stanford University to conduct a clinical study on the effectiveness of AI-assisted friendship formation. Our goal: prove that technology can meaningfully reduce loneliness when designed with human psychology in mind.
Study Participants
Study Duration
Results Expected
Be Part of the Solution
Loneliness isn't inevitable. Together, we can build the tools and culture that make meaningful connection possible again.