Sonder app ditches swiping for intentional, in-person events

Sonder, a London-based connection platform, is betting that the path to better social experiences lies in deliberate friction. While mainstream dating giants compete to automate human interaction with AI, the team behind Sonder is intentionally making their sign-up process more time-consuming to filter for users who are genuinely willing to invest effort into their connections.

Co-founded by Mehedi Hassan, Helen Sun, Lenard Pratt, and Hannah Kin, the app emerged from their shared frustration with the “slot machine” nature of current dating platforms. Instead of standardized profiles filled with tired cliches, Sonder encourages users to build unstructured, collage-like pages that function more as digital mood boards.

Shifting focus from swiping to socializing

The platform’s growth strategy leans heavily into in-person gatherings, ranging from “Speed Drawing” nights and “Presentation Night” to the more unconventional “Performative Male Contest.” By positioning these events for both platonic and romantic connections, the founders aim to lower the social pressure often found in traditional dating scenes.

“We have recurring events, because it’s nice when regular people come back,” Sun explained. “It’s emulating run clubs in some way, where you have this reoccurring opportunity to meet people, but there is no pressure in that sense that you have to make it work the first time that you see someone.”

The team notes that while running clubs have gained popularity among “productivity-maxxers” seeking social connections, they are not a universal solution. “I hate running,” Hassan admitted. “Not everyone’s going to be interested in run clubs.”

The role of AI in an “authentic” experience

Despite their critique of how mainstream apps use technology, the Sonder team does not reject AI entirely. Hassan, who works in product engineering at the AI note-taking firm Granola, notes that Sonder uses Large Language Models (LLMs) to analyze profile screenshots and suggest potential matches. However, he remains firm on avoiding AI-generated profiles.

“I think at that point, it loses the human touch of it,” Hassan said. “Even though we’re probably losing out on hundreds of users, and there’s a lot of friction setting up the profile, we want to make sure it’s an actual person putting their own effort in to make that profile.”

Currently, the founders operate the app part-time alongside their primary jobs and have not yet raised external funding. Despite this, they have managed to attract approximately 6,500 users in London without any paid marketing spend. For now, the team remains focused on refining the user experience and maintaining the sense of community that current, more automated alternatives often lack.