A former Tinder executive has built a dating app that lets strangers vote on whether two people should be matched. The app is called Rivet, and it is run by Taru Kapoor, who founded it after her time at Tinder.
Here is how it works: the app pairs people based on their preferences, interests, and dating intentions. Then, other users — invited friends and a group of Elite Matchers — weigh in on whether those pairs seem compatible. They vote yes with a pink heart or no with a silver X. The votes build a Social Matching score that both people can see.
How the Voting System Works
Matchmakers see information about a potential couple, including their personalities and relationship goals. The app also shows an AI-generated image of the two people together, so voters can picture the pairing before deciding.
A crowd’s approval does not guarantee a match. People can review the recommended person’s full profile and decide whether to connect or pass. According to Rivet’s help center, voting is anonymous, so daters cannot see who supported or rejected their pairing.
Kapoor explained the appeal in simple terms. “Helping two people find each other, even when you don’t know them, can be surprisingly joyful,” she told the Post.
Incentives to Vote
There are reasons to participate beyond the joy Kapoor described. Matchmakers earn an in-app currency called Karma, which unlocks premium features. Eligible users can also redeem earned Karma for money or gift cards, subject to the company’s requirements.
Even people already in relationships can join as matchmakers, helping singles discover potential connections.
Overtone and Government Subsidies
Rivet is not the only recent attempt to remake online dating. Hinge founder Justin McLeod launched an AI dating service called Overtone, which aims to make introductions without giving users profiles to scroll through.
The push to get people dating has also reached governments. Singapore launched a dating website offering to cover users’ first date. Japan’s Kochi Prefecture announced subsidies of around $125 to help eligible singles pay for dating apps.
| App | Founder | Matching Method |
|---|---|---|
| Rivet | Taru Kapoor | Social Matching via voter votes |
| Overtone | Justin McLeod | AI introductions |
Why This Matters for Online Dating
The app asks a simple question: what if the people doing the matching are not algorithms, but actual strangers who have nothing invested in the outcome? That is a novel approach, and it is worth watching.
The design carries risks. The anonymous system removes some friction, but it also removes accountability.
The Order of Events
- Taru Kapoor founded Rivet after her time at Tinder.
- The app pairs people based on preferences, interests, and dating intentions.
- Matchmakers vote on compatibility with a pink heart or a silver X.
- Voters see personality, relationship goals, and an AI-generated image of the couple together.
- The Social Matching score appears for both people to review.
- People can choose to connect or pass after reviewing the full profile.
- Matchmakers earn Karma, which unlocks premium features and can be redeemed for money or gift cards.
For now, Rivet stands as one more experiment in a field that has not stopped trying to fix itself.
Source material: “Ex-Tinder exec’s new dating app lets strangers vote on who should match,” Dexerto.
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