New Dating App Rivet Lets Users Play Cupid
The app, from a former Tinder executive, aims to combat dating app fatigue by having users play matchmaker for strangers.
A new dating app named Rivet, founded by former Tinder executive Taru Kapoor, is challenging traditional dating app models by allowing users to act as matchmakers for others on the platform. This innovative approach emerges at a time when many singles are reportedly growing weary of established dating applications and seeking alternative methods to find partners, including in-person meetups and unconventional online applications.
Rivet's core concept involves users signing up as "matchers." These individuals are presented with anonymous profiles of potential couples, complete with details on personality traits, relationship goals, interests, and physical preferences. An AI-generated image depicting the pair is also provided to illustrate their potential aesthetic compatibility. Matchers then vote with a pink heart for a potential match or a silver 'X' to reject it. As votes accumulate, the potential couple receives a "Social Matching" score, intended to encourage them to connect.
Singles using Rivet can view their potential partner's name, the percentage of matchers who approved the pairing, and a brief AI-generated explanation for the match. The app emphasizes that ultimately, the individuals themselves are the final decision-makers, retaining the power to accept or reject an actual date.
Kapoor, serving as Rivet's CEO, stated that dating apps have increasingly become a "lonely search." She believes that Rivet's strategy of reintroducing third-party perspectives, akin to friends playing Cupid, can help people discover relationships they might not have considered or recognized on their own. "Many of us have spotted our friend being in a relationship that’s clearly wrong for them way before they knew themselves — or have seen the potential with someone they are overlooking," Kapoor explained. She added that others often see qualities in individuals that they themselves overlook, and can discern what truly brings happiness, which may differ from stated preferences.
Rivet is not the first to explore peer-based matchmaking; Bethenny Frankel launched a similar invite-only platform called The Core last year. However, Kapoor hopes Rivet will offer a more accessible and joyful way for singles to find partners, creating a "win-win" scenario where matchers gain satisfaction from facilitating connections and daters find meaningful relationships beyond endless swiping.