IRLY (I Really Like You) is a Gen Z dating app that does away with corny pickup lines and endless back-and-forth between users, and instead it offers a gamified video dating experience to suit a digitally native generation. Users get to chat while playing games with one another like tic-tac-toe and drawing challenges, which offer plenty of opportunities for conversations to get started and connections to deepen.
IRLY was born out of the e@UBC program, and co-founders Connor Rose and Laura Rollock are preparing for a winter 2023 launch. “Gen Z is very frustrated,” says Rose, “They hate texting, they feel like their personality is too big for dating apps. We saw a major issue here—we want to bring magic back to dating and let people connect in a more organic way.”
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Gamified Video Dating
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop gamified video features in dating apps to create a more interactive and organic dating experience for Gen Z.
- Digital Native Dating
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Build dating platforms that cater to the preferences and communication styles of digital native generations like Gen Z, incorporating features like gamification and video chats.
- Anti-texting Dating
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create dating apps that prioritize real-time interaction through game-based conversations and minimize traditional textual communication.
Sectors Adopting This
- Dating Apps
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Enhance dating app experiences by integrating gamification and video features, catering to the needs and preferences of Gen Z users.
- Digital Entertainment
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Explore the intersection of dating and gaming by developing interactive and entertaining video-based platforms for young audiences.
- Social Networking
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Innovate within social networking platforms by introducing gamified video dating functionalities that allow users to connect and form relationships in a more engaging and authentic manner.
