Speed dating is on the rise as young singles look for more meaningful ways to connect with romantic partners. 

Speed dating is on the rise as young singles look for more meaningful ways to connect with romantic partners. YPulse’s dating and relationships research shows 45% of young people have dated someone they met through an app. But as the list of dating apps grow, fatigue for online dating is also growing. *Enter speed dating.* Though the concept is nothing new, a handful of companies are popping up in cities to make it easier for young singles to meet people in person. Ambyr Club is a New York-based speed dating company that was founded at the end of 2021, positioning itself as an alternative to dating apps with in-person meetups at trendy bars in Manhattan; We Met IRL was founded by a 26-year-old as a speed dating company for people of color after realizing that “speed dating events in Manhattan weren’t always diverse;” and CWAQ (“connect with a qutie”) was created with LGBTQ+ daters in mind, although its events are open to everyone. “What’s old is new again,” says Julie Spira, a dating coach, of speed dating, and these groups are bringing some much needed energy to the dating scene for young people (in New York, at least). (NYT)