Archive — US — techcrunch
Dating app Cerca will show how Gen Z really dates at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
Cerca, a new dating app co-founded by Myles Slayton, targets Gen Z by connecting users through social circles, ensuring safety and reducing rejection anxiety. With 60,000 users and $1.6 million in seed funding, the app will debut at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 in San Francisco. Its design stems from Gen Z's dating preferences shaped by the pandemic and a distrust of strangers.
Key points
- Myles Slayton and friends launched Cerca to address Gen Z's dating challenges.
- Cerca connects users with friends or friends of friends, ensuring safety.
- Users can only see matches from their social circles, alleviating fear of strangers.
- The app has received $1.6 million in seed funding and has almost 60,000 users.
- Cerca focuses on quality matches rather than quantity, with anonymous likes.
Why it matters
- The rise of remote interactions has changed how Gen Z approaches dating.
- Economic pressures and the pandemic have led to a lack of trust in strangers.
- Current dating apps often cater to Millennials, creating a gap in user needs.
- The trend towards safer, community-based dating is indicative of Gen Z's broader social preferences.
Cerca represents a significant shift in dating app design, prioritizing safety and community connections for Gen Z, and showcasing the evolving landscape of online dating at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025.