Singles Ditch Dating Apps for In-Person Meetups: A New Wave of Startups Offers Diverse Events

As of October 2025, 36-year-old New Yorker Felicia Singh has grown tired of the endless swiping on dating apps. She tells PEOPLE that no matter how innovative the apps claim to be, she rarely finds a good match through them.

Singh, who works in policy advocacy, estimates she only goes on an online date every few months and sometimes finds herself "not actually paying attention" during the mindless scrolling.

Seeking an alternative, Singh stumbled upon WeMetIRL, a company that hosts in-person dating events. She was immediately struck by the diversity of people featured in the company's photos and decided to attend an event in Brooklyn this past May. While the first event she went to was attended mostly by women, Singh says the night offered a much-needed boost of self-assurance.

WeMetIRL was founded by Maxine Williams, whose own swiping fatigue post-pandemic led her to create the company in February 2022. Since then, WeMetIRL has hosted a range of events, from shuffleboard to indoor rock climbing, with the goal of bringing people together in a fun, engaging way.

While Singh hasn't yet met a romantic partner through the in-person events, she says the experience has been positive, allowing her to make new connections and friends. As she continues her search, both on and offline, Singh emphasizes the importance of setting realistic expectations when attending these types of events.