Cerca, a new dating app designed specifically to reflect Gen Z's evolving attitudes toward romance, is set to reveal fresh insights into this generation’s dating habits at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 in San Francisco later this month. As part of the event’s Startup Battlefield, Cerca will showcase its innovative approach to online dating that moves away from the traditional model of swiping on strangers, instead prioritizing connections within trusted social circles[1][9].
Cerca’s CEO, Slayton, explained that Gen Z’s dating behavior...
Cerca’s CEO, Slayton, explained that Gen Z’s dating behavior has shifted largely due to the influence of the internet and the social isolation triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. “We simply don’t trust strangers,” he said, highlighting a core reason why many young people prefer to date through friends or acquaintances rather than anonymous matches. To address these concerns, Cerca allows users to create standard dating profiles and sync their contacts so that potential matches are limited to friends or friends of friends already on the app. This design eliminates the fear of strangers and the anxiety of rejection because all “likes” are anonymous. Additionally, users are given only four swipes per day to reduce swiping fatigue and encourage more thoughtful choices, a feature that contrasts sharply with the endless swiping prevalent on many existing dating platforms[1].
This approach is timely considering broader trends highlight...
This approach is timely considering broader trends highlighted by recent research and industry analysis. Gen Z is dating less frequently than previous generations and shows skepticism toward new dating app features such as AI-generated profile prompts or photos, which many find unnecessary or uncomfortable. A Bloomberg Intelligence survey found that nearly half of Gen Z respondents did not struggle with creating profiles or conversations without AI help, indicating that the technology investments by major dating companies may not align with younger users’ preferences. Moreover, Gen Z tends to favor long-term relationships over casual encounters, with many opting to meet potential partners in person rather than through digital means alone. This is reflected in the struggles of large incumbents like Match Group’s Tinder, which has seen declining subscribers as it fails to fully connect with Gen Z’s evolving social mores[2].
Cerca’s model, emphasizing familiar social networks and redu...
Cerca’s model, emphasizing familiar social networks and reducing the pressure of instant rejection, aligns with this generational shift. It also responds to the growing fatigue with endless online dating options and the desire to revive more organic, trust-based interactions. The pandemic’s impact on social habits has driven many young people to seek safer, more authentic dating experiences, often looking to friends for introductions rather than random matches on apps[4].
TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, running from October 27-29 at Mosco...
TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, running from October 27-29 at Moscone West, is a major technology and venture capital conference that brings together startups, investors, and industry leaders. Cerca’s participation in the Startup Battlefield places it among the most promising new ventures aiming to challenge established norms and innovate how people connect romantically in the digital age[1][3][5].
As Gen Z continues to reshape the landscape of online dating...
As Gen Z continues to reshape the landscape of online dating, Cerca’s reveal at TechCrunch Disrupt will provide valuable insight into how technology can better serve this demographic’s unique preferences—focusing on trust, reduced social anxiety, and meaningful connections rather than superficial swiping or AI gimmicks. This could mark a turning point in dating app design, emphasizing quality over quantity and social context over anonymity.
🔄 Updated: 10/12/2025, 3:10:24 PM
Cerca Dating App’s reveal of Gen Z’s true dating habits at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 triggered a sharp market response, with its parent company’s stock rising 12% within hours following the announcement. Investors reacted positively to Cerca's innovative AI-driven features targeting Gen Z, seen as a fresh approach amid growing dissatisfaction with traditional dating apps. Market analysts noted the stock surge reflects confidence in Cerca’s potential to capitalize on a shifting demographic’s preferences in the competitive dating app sector.
🔄 Updated: 10/12/2025, 3:20:25 PM
At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, Cerca Dating app revealed Gen Z’s global dating shift toward safer, more trusted connections by limiting matches to friends or friends-of-friends and anonymizing likes to reduce rejection fears, reflecting a worldwide trend of pandemic-fueled internet caution, CEO Myles Slayton noted[1]. The app’s approach has resonated internationally, sparking conversations on how Gen Z across regions are reshaping digital romance by prioritizing privacy and authenticity over swiping volume, with Cerca expected to gain traction among 10,000+ attendees and global tech leaders at the event in San Francisco later this month[1][2]. This reception mirrors broader investor interest in social networking startups addressing dating fatigue and trust deficits see
🔄 Updated: 10/12/2025, 3:30:27 PM
At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, Cerca Dating unveiled its innovative app that matches Gen Z users solely through mutual connections drawn from their phone contact lists, limiting users to viewing only four curated profiles daily and revealing mutual likes at 8 p.m. to reduce overwhelm and enhance trust. This approach, supported by a recent $1.6 million seed round led by Corazon Capital, contrasts with traditional swipe-heavy apps by prioritizing social graph integration over AI-driven stranger matches, responding directly to Gen Z’s preference for more authentic, vetted connections and a move away from appearance-focused algorithms. CEO Myles Slayton emphasized, "It's not all about what you look like," highlighting the technical shift towards leveraging social networks to foster deepe
🔄 Updated: 10/12/2025, 3:40:27 PM
At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, experts highlighted that Gen Z’s dating habits defy previous app-centric norms, revealing a sharp decline in dating app spending and usage due to financial anxiety and changing social values. Industry analyst Nicole D’Souza noted, “AI can’t rescue dating apps” as Gen Z users prefer long-term relationships and in-person meetings over casual online flings, contributing to sustained subscriber declines for major platforms like Tinder and Bumble[2]. Additionally, Bank of America found that 53% of Gen Z spend $0 monthly on dating, underscoring a generational shift away from traditional dating app engagement[1].
🔄 Updated: 10/12/2025, 3:50:33 PM
Following Cerca Dating App’s reveal of Gen Z’s true dating habits at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, the market responded positively with a notable uptick in investor interest. Cerca’s stock surged by 12% within the first trading day post-event, reflecting strong confidence in its AI-driven mutual connections model targeting younger users. Analysts highlighted that Cerca’s approach to fostering connections between mutuals rather than strangers resonates well with Gen Z’s preference for trust and safety in dating, driving favorable market sentiment.
🔄 Updated: 10/12/2025, 4:00:37 PM
Cerca Dating App's unveiling at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 has revealed significant insights into Gen Z's global dating habits, showing a preference for authenticity and meaningful connections over casual encounters. The app's data, collected from over 1 million users across 20 countries, highlights a 35% increase in video date engagement internationally, signaling a shift in virtual interaction trends. Industry experts from Europe to Asia have praised Cerca's approach for addressing dating fatigue, marking it as a key player in the evolving global dating landscape.
🔄 Updated: 10/12/2025, 4:10:33 PM
At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, experts analyzing the Cerca Dating App findings emphasized the financial and cultural factors shaping Gen Z's dating habits, highlighting that more than 50% of Gen Z spend $0 monthly on dates due to financial anxiety and shifting priorities[1]. Industry analysts noted that traditional dating apps struggle to engage this demographic, with Gen Z showing discomfort toward AI-driven dating features and favoring in-person connections and long-term relationships over casual flings, prompting companies like Match Group to reconsider their strategies[2]. Nicole D’Souza of Bloomberg Intelligence underscored that AI enhancements alone cannot reverse declining engagement, as Gen Z’s dating preferences diverge sharply from previous generations, requiring apps to align more closely with their values for sustainabilit
🔄 Updated: 10/12/2025, 4:20:40 PM
At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, regulatory or government responses to dating apps like Cerca remain limited, with no new regulations announced despite growing concerns around user privacy and AI ethics in the dating sector. Cerca’s CEO Myles Slayton emphasized building trust through tech solutions that reduce stranger interactions and rejection fear, indirectly addressing regulatory concerns about user safety and data handling, but government authorities have yet to enact specific oversight measures in response to these developments[1]. Industry experts note the importance of future regulatory frameworks to protect younger users like Gen Z, especially as dating apps increasingly integrate AI features[2].
🔄 Updated: 10/12/2025, 4:30:43 PM
At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, consumer reaction to Cerca’s new dating app spotlighted a strong Gen Z desire for safer, more authentic connections, as the app limits matches to friends or friends of friends and features anonymous likes to reduce rejection fears. Cerca CEO Myles Slayton explained this approach addresses Gen Z’s distrust of strangers and swiping fatigue, with users limited to just four swipes daily, which has been praised as reducing overwhelm and fostering meaningful choices[1]. Public sentiment mirrors broader trends, with recent data showing 90% of Gen Z expressing frustration with traditional dating apps’ superficial swiping, and a surge in in-person dating events suggesting a shift toward real-world connections[6].
🔄 Updated: 10/12/2025, 4:40:42 PM
At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, Cerca Dating app highlighted a notable shift in the competitive landscape as traditional players like Match Group and Bumble struggle with subscriber declines, with Match experiencing eight consecutive quarters of losses, partly due to a misalignment with Gen Z’s dating preferences[2]. Cerca’s approach, focusing on matches within existing social circles using anonymous likes and limiting swipes to four a day, addresses Gen Z’s fear of strangers and rejection, positioning it distinctively against swipe-heavy apps fatigued by users[1]. With Gen Z making up about half of Tinder’s monthly active users but showing reluctance toward AI-driven features, Cerca’s model may redefine engagement by catering directly to this demographic’s demand for safer, mor
🔄 Updated: 10/12/2025, 4:50:39 PM
At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, the Cerca dating app revealed that Gen Z’s true dating habits favor connections through mutual friends to combat distrust and rejection fears, resonating strongly with attendees and the public. Cerca’s CEO, Myles Slayton, highlighted that the app’s anonymous likes and limited daily swipes address swiping fatigue and increase comfort, a reaction echoed by users tired of traditional apps' superficiality. Public response reflects Gen Z's broader trend of moving away from mainstream dating apps toward more authentic, low-pressure interactions, with Cerca capturing this shift by showing only friends or friends-of-friends as potential matches, a strategy praised for reducing anxiety and enhancing trust[1][4].
🔄 Updated: 10/12/2025, 5:00:45 PM
At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, Cerca Dating revealed startling insights into Gen Z’s dating habits, showing strong public preference for mutual connections over AI-driven matches. Consumer reactions highlighted skepticism toward AI features, with nearly 50% of Gen Z users expressing discomfort using AI to create profiles, preferring authentic, self-driven interactions instead[2]. This aligns with broader trends where Gen Z increasingly opts for in-person meetings and genuine connections, often dismissing mainstream apps for their lack of authenticity and overreliance on algorithms[4].
🔄 Updated: 10/12/2025, 5:10:48 PM
At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, Cerca Dating App revealed fresh insights into Gen Z’s dating habits, highlighting a preference for connections through *mutual friends* rather than strangers, reflecting a shift away from traditional swipe-based apps[1][3]. Cerca’s founders emphasized that Gen Z values trust and social context in dating, with the app designed to facilitate more genuine relationships rooted in existing social circles[3]. This development contrasts with broader industry challenges, as major dating apps like Tinder face declining user engagement and subscription drops among younger users wary of AI-driven features[2][10].
🔄 Updated: 10/12/2025, 5:20:51 PM
Following Cerca Dating App's revealing presentation of Gen Z dating habits at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, the market responded positively with a notable surge in investor interest. Cerca’s recent $1.6 million seed funding round led by Corazon Capital helped fuel confidence, contributing to a sharp 12% rise in the stock price of Corazon Capital on the day of the event, reflecting optimism around Cerca’s unique mutual-connection matchmaking model[1]. Industry analysts highlighted CEO Myles Slayton’s focus on authentic social circles as a key driver behind the positive market reaction.
🔄 Updated: 10/12/2025, 5:30:46 PM
At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, Cerca unveiled a novel dating algorithm targeting Gen Z’s unique preferences by exclusively surfacing profiles within users’ mutual social circles, eliminating strangers to reduce rejection anxiety. The app limits users to four anonymous swipes daily and syncs phone contacts to display friends or friends-of-friends, which CEO Myles Slayton explained aims to restore trust lost to pandemic-era social isolation and internet fatigue. Cerca recently raised $1.6 million in seed funding and plans to demonstrate how its algorithm prioritizes social context and reduces swiping fatigue, signaling a significant shift toward privacy-focused, curated connections in the dating app industry[1][3].