Hinge Invests $1 Million in In-Person Events As Users Pivot

Hinge is expanding its efforts beyond online dating with a new initiative aimed at fostering in-person connections. The company announced a $1 million fund to support around 100 local groups in London, providing free or low-cost social and dating-meetup-friendly events for young people. This initiative is an extension of Hinge’s One More Hour program, which launched in the U.S. last year and focuses on combating loneliness among Gen Z.

The move comes as Gen Z faces growing struggles with social connection. A Hinge survey of 2,000 young adults in the U.K. found that 85% have experienced loneliness, with financial barriers and anxiety cited as key obstacles to meeting new people. These challenges aren’t limited to the U.K.; a Meta-Gallup study in 2022 found that young adults aged 19-29 reported higher levels of loneliness than older generations.

At the same time, many dating apps are seeing a decline in user engagement when it comes to purely online interactions. A 2024 Ofcom report found that Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble all lost users in the U.K. between May 2023 and May 2024, while a Forbes Health survey reported that over 75% of Gen Z users felt burnt out from dating apps.

As interest in traditional dating platforms wanes, companies are pivoting toward live events. Bumble IRL has hosted in-person gatherings since 2022, and Grindr is partnering with the Mighty Hoopla festival for queer-focused performances this year. Smaller social networking apps like Cliq and TimeLeft have also gained traction by facilitating real-world meetups.

Hinge’s social impact director, Josh Penny, suggests that activity-based events lower social anxiety and help young people rebuild their “social muscles,” which may have weakened due to technology use and the pandemic. “The activities help take that off,” he said. “Instead of hearing ‘come make friends,’ it’s ‘come try surfing, come try skateboarding, come try poetry.’”