Pitch-a-friend dating trend: Why singles are ditching apps for friend-led matchmaking

5 min readNew DelhiJul 29, 2026 11:00 PM IST After years of swiping through dating apps, many singles are looking for more meaningful ways to meet people face-to-face. One of the latest trends gaining traction is the ‘pitch-a-friend’ event, where friends create short PowerPoint presentations introducing their single friends to a room full of potential matches. Blending humour, storytelling and personal recommendations, these events aim to make dating feel less transactional and more social by helping people connect through trusted introductions rather than carefully curated dating profiles. The format is simple but different from traditional singles mixers. Friends take the stage to deliver a three-to-five-minute presentation explaining why their friend is a great catch, after which attend