Fate App Crosses 10,000 Installs, Launches Curated IRL Events

Fate, a swipeless dating app, is extending its matchmaking approach into the offline world with the launch of Fate IRL, a new series of in-person dating events that uses data gathered through the app to curate attendees before they meet.

The announcement comes as the company says it has surpassed 10,000 installs for its non-swiping dating app, which aims to improve match recommendations over time based on user behaviour. Rather than relying on endless swiping, Fate says its recommendation system becomes more accurate as users interact with the platform, drawing comparisons to recommendation engines used by services such as Spotify, Netflix and Amazon.

The first two Fate IRL events, scheduled to take place in London on 18 and 21 July, have already sold out. A third event is planned for 1 August. Each event is limited to 20 participants, with 10 men and 10 women taking part in a series of ten five-minute dates. Premium subscribers receive priority access and can attend free of charge, while active users can apply for available places through the app.

Founder Rakesh Naidu said the goal is to improve the quality of offline introductions rather than simply filling event spaces.

“Traditional dating apps often keep users swiping, while traditional dating events often put singles in a room and hope chemistry happens. Fate IRL connects the two by using what we already know from the app to create better real life dating rooms.”

Naidu also argued that many dating events struggle because attendees may have different intentions, age ranges or relationship goals, reducing the likelihood of meaningful connections.

“The problem with many dating events is that they are built around filling seats, not curating compatibility. You can have 20 singles in a room, but if the age ranges, gender balance, intent and values are misaligned, the experience quickly falls apart.”