Meet5 is the app for making friends by socializing with others. It is designed for anyone who wants to meet new people in real life through group activities.

In this hyperconnected era, we have never been so disconnected from one another. Omnipresent screens and social networks have transformed the way we communicate, and a consequential reality comes with this: loneliness is gaining ground.

In the U.S., Gallup's National Health and Well-Being Index shows daily loneliness climbed to 20% of adults by late 2024 — a three-point rise since the start of that year alone — while globally, Gallup's World Poll found more than 1 in 5 people (23%) reported feeling lonely a lot of the time as of 2023.

An app to combat isolation

An app to connect people in real life: while it might seem paradoxical, Meet5 deliberately sets itself apart from traditional dating apps. It does not seek to trap its users behind screens, but rather to get them out into the world.

The concept: facilitate an initial online connection that directly leads to real-life group meetups centered around vibrant activities and created by other Meet5 members — whether that’s a lively 'Brunch & Banter' weekend, a cake swap picnic, a museum outing, or an indoor pickleball social.

Loneliness: A reality today

Loneliness affects people of all ages around the world, reported at rates of 17–27%, and can even be strongest in younger groups. And while younger people may feel it often, they can also tend to experience loneliness as a passing phase, something tied to a move, a breakup, or a first job in a new city.

Nearly 40% of U.S. adults 45 and older now report feeling lonely, up from 35% just a few years ago.  And it hits the hardest right at the start of that range, in the 40s and early 50s. Which is where Meet5 is there for its large portion of members, the moment social circles start to feel "set," friendships get harder to prioritize, and a lot of people have the feeling the window for making new friends has closed.

Most digital platforms weren't built with this in mind. Even dating apps see usage drop sharply with age: just 37% of adults 30–49 have ever used one, and only 20% of those 50–64, compared with 53% of adults under 30. Which is why Meet5 is not trying to be a dating app. Finding a romantic match and building a real friend group are two completely different aims — and we noticed that most platforms in the market set out to solve the former.

Meet5 exists to dismantle the idea that your social circle is finished. Whether loneliness shows up as a rough patch in your twenties or a lived experience in your forties, it's never too late, or too early, to build real friendships, in person in real life.

Petra’s story: From silence to renewal

Petra, 64, is one of our German captains. After her husband passed away, she found herself alone in an empty house surrounded by total silence: no one left to talk to, no more laughter, no more warmth. A heavy, almost deafening silence.

For a time, she withdrew into herself, overwhelmed by the void left behind. But one day, she decided she no longer wanted to endure that silence and loneliness and resolved to turn things around. She simply wanted to surround herself with people again, share moments, and have conversations. Discovering Meet5 through a Facebook post, she took the plunge.

She joined activities, laughed, opened up, regained a zest for social life, and against all odds… even found love again. Like her, he had lost his spouse around the same time. They understood each other immediately.

Today, she calls him her "boyfriend" with a smile: “It’s funny to have a boyfriend at my age, but why not? Happiness has no age limit.”

A public health issue

When loneliness is chosen and temporary, it can be beneficial: it provides time to rest, reflect, and refocus on oneself. However, it is a deceptive friend. It can set in insidiously and turn chronic before we even realize it.

The consequences of chronic, unchosen, and endured loneliness are not only emotional; they are physical as well. Studies show that a lack of social connection is as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, a finding the U.S. Surgeon General later cited as one of the clearest signals that social health is physical health.

It increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, dementia, and premature death. The World Health Organization found that between 2014 and 2019, loneliness and social isolation were responsible for around 100 deaths per hour worldwide, or more than 871,000 deaths each year. It's why the WHO now treats strong social connection as a pillar of health as fundamental as physical and mental well-being

Meet5 is the app for making friends, but it is much more than that: it is a true remedy for loneliness.

It is designed for everyone who wants to meet new people in real life through group activities, and who wants to break free from loneliness by putting warmth, genuine conversation, and the joy of being together back at the center of their lives.