Strangers as matchmakers: new dating app lets its community vote on couples

Out with lonely swiping, in with matchmaking by the crowd: that is the idea behind the dating app Rivet, which launched across the US on 24 September. It was founded by Taru Kapoor, who joined Tinder in 2015 to build its business in India, later oversaw South and Southeast Asia and Turkey, and left Tinder and Match Group in 2023. According to industry reports, Rivet raised 10.5 million US dollars in seed funding from Peak XV Partners, Shine Capital and Blume Ventures; former Tinder and OkCupid chief executive Elie Seidman is an early investor. The app was previously tested in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The company calls the principle “Social Matching”: the app suggests possible pairs based on preferences, interests and relationship intentions. So-called Matchers – other users, invited friends or particularly successful “Elite Matchers” – first see details about personality and intentions without names and vote anonymously on whether the two are compatible; according to the New York Post, they are also shown an AI-generated image of the pair. The votes produce a score, highly rated pairs are introduced, and each person decides independently whether to get in touch. Matchers earn a virtual currency called “Karma”, which according to the app listing can also be redeemed for money. People who are already in relationships can take part as well.

“Humans introducing humans is the oldest technology,” Kapoor told the Los Angeles Times. She said the app surfaces many people users might otherwise swipe past. Whether the model will last remains to be seen; no robust success figures are available. Whether and when Rivet will come to Europe is not stated in the reports. The launch comes at a time when many providers are looking for alternatives to endless swiping.