From Classroom Project to Campus‑Wide Matchmaking Service

Stanford graduate student Henry Weng developed Date Drop as a weekly matchmaking service for his peers. Participants answer a thorough questionnaire, provide open‑ended responses, and engage in a voice conversation, allowing the platform to build a detailed profile. Using this data, Date Drop delivers a single compatible match each week.

Since its launch in the fall, more than 5,000 Stanford students have tried the service. It has expanded to ten additional schools, including MIT, Princeton, and the University of Pennsylvania. Weng reports that matches from Date Drop convert to actual dates at about 10x the rate of Tinder, and 95% of users say they are interested in relationships.

Founding The Relationship Company

What began as a campus project evolved into a public‑benefit corporation called The Relationship Company. The company’s long‑term vision is to facilitate all meaningful relationships—friendships, professional connections, community events, and more. Weng has raised “a few million” from angel investors, including Zynga founder and early Facebook backer Mark Pincus, former Coatue partner Andy Chen, and early Airbnb, Stripe, and Pinterest backer Elad Gil.

Technology and Matching Approach

Date Drop’s algorithm relies on two core components. First, the questionnaire captures a comprehensive picture of each user through written answers, voice data, and additional inputs. Second, the platform predicts compatibility using a model trained on real‑world outcomes from actual dates. This combination allows the service to move beyond typical swiping mechanisms toward long‑term connection building.

Weng’s Academic and Entrepreneurial Background

Weng is pursuing a computer‑science master’s degree at Stanford, focusing on the economics and mathematics of matching. As an undergraduate, he created his own major to study humans, matching, and incentives, emphasizing how matching shapes life decisions. He also credits an “Intro to Clown” class for teaching him to embrace failure as a product‑builder.

Company Structure and Culture

The Relationship Company currently employs two staff members besides Weng and works with twelve student ambassadors who serve as campus representatives. Employees receive a $100 monthly “relationship stipend,” which they can spend on dates, gifts, experiences, or any activity that deepens an important relationship. Weng believes that spending on others contributes to personal happiness and underscores the company’s mission that relationships are the most important factor in a person’s life.

Impact on Personal Outlook

Weng says Date Drop has broadened his perspective, exposing him to interesting people he would not have met through ordinary routines. The service’s success demonstrates a growing appetite for alternatives to traditional online dating and highlights the potential for algorithm‑driven platforms to foster meaningful, long‑term connections.

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