# Platonic Matchmaking Apps facilitate adult friendships as romantic relationships take a back seat. By [Vasiliki Marapas](https://www.trendhunter.com/Vasiliki.Marapas), Research Advisor & Writer | Published Jan 27, 2016 | Category: [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/pro/category/technology-trends-and-gadgets) Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/accelerated-friendship ## Key Figures - Trend score: 4.6/10 - Evidence articles: 6 ## What is the Platonic Matchmaking trend? **Platonic Matchmaking:** Mobile applications that help individuals find friends as opposed to romantic partners are beginning to emerge following the success of dating apps such as Tinder. These applications speak to the difficulty of forging interpersonal relationships in modern adult life, and point to a consumer willingness in making meaningful connections through technology. Moreover, it also de-prioritizes the romantic union as the most essential. ## At a Glance - Evidence: 6 featured examples - Articles from: May 13, 2015 to Feb 18, 2016 - Published: Jan 27, 2016 - Patterns: [Redirection](https://www.trendhunter.com/pattern/redirection), [Acceleration](https://www.trendhunter.com/pattern/acceleration) - Megatrends: [Hybridization](https://www.trendhunter.com/megatrend/hybridization), [Simplicity](https://www.trendhunter.com/megatrend/simplicity), [Many to Many](https://www.trendhunter.com/megatrend/many-to-many) ## Audience - Gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa ## Themes within the Platonic Matchmaking trend ### Friendship-Focused Apps Mobile applications are emerging to facilitate meaningful platonic connections, underscoring a rising consumer demand for friendships forged via technology. ### Female-Focused Matchmaking Services New platform-based matchmaking services for women are a response to a growing urge for meaningful female friendships, inspired by the icons of pop culture and the need to foster strong, equitable female bonds. ### Group & Location-Based Matchmaking Services Increasingly, matchmaking services are exploring group settings or factoring in the importance of location to connect individuals with similar interests outside of traditional dating priorities. ## What the Platonic Matchmaking trend means for industry ### For Social and Community-based Platforms Friendship-focused platforms offer a unique space for facilitating connections based on shared interests and hobbies, and for fostering communities around a common bond. ### For Travel and Adventure Industry Group-based travel matchmaking services offer opportunities for immersive cultural experiences and connections with individuals of diverse backgrounds. ### For Mobile App Development The growing demand for friendship-focused mobile applications requires further innovation in app development technologies and features, such as better matching algorithms or real-time group messaging capabilities. ## Workshop question What role does your brand play in terms of connecting consumers to one another? ## Trend signals for Platonic Matchmaking Trend score 4.6 out of 10, from popularity 66%, activity 63%, freshness 8%. - Popularity: 66% - Activity: 63% - Freshness: 8% ## Examples of the Platonic Matchmaking trend 6 featured examples from May 13, 2015 to Feb 18, 2016. - [Friendship-Forming Travel Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/travel-host): This Site Connects Adventurous Globe-Trotters to Travel Hosts (Category: World) Implication: Opportunities for the travel and hospitality industry to leverage technological advancements in matching algorithms and virtual communication to create more personalized and immer… - [Female Friend-Finding Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hey-vina): The 'Hey! VINA' App Helps Women Expand Their Social Circle (Category: Tech) Implication: Female friend-finding apps can disrupt the social networking industry by offering unique features and algorithms that foster meaningful connections and support female empowerment. - [Location-Based Social Chat Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/skout): Skout is a Mobile App for Expanding One's Social Circle (Category: Tech) Implication: Opportunity for developers to create innovative mobile apps for people to expand social networks and form meaningful connections. - [Group Date Matchmaking Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smeeters): Smeeters Helps Arrange "Explosive" Meetings Between Groups of Friends (Category: Life-Stages) Implication: Opportunity for mobile app developers to create innovative group matchmaking apps. - [Female Friendship Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/yes-new-friends): Yes New Friends is a Toronto-Based Matchmaking Service for Women (Category: Lifestyle) Implication: The social networking industry can explore new features or platforms that focus on facilitating meaningful platonic connections. - [Casual Friendship Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wiith-app): The Wiith App is a Tinder-Inspired platform for making new friends (Category: Tech) Implication: Disruptive innovation opportunity: Integrate the concept of making new friends into existing social networking platforms. ## Recent trend clusters - [Delegated Interfaces](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/delegated-interfaces) (Tech) - [Adaptive Controls](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/adaptive-controls) (Tech) - [Desk Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/desk-systems) (Tech) - [Spatial Refinement](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/spatial-refinement) (Tech) ## Trending in Tech - [Decor-Led Home Projectors](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/decor-led-home-projectors) - [Accessible Fintech Pop-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chequing-account) - [Dual-Wavelength Recovery Wearables](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/joint-therapy) - [Pop-Culture WiFi Routers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pop-culture-wifi-routers) All articles: [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech)