Convexion dating app matches people with common interests
Feeling bummed you’re going solo to all the holiday parties this month? Still looking for someone to kiss under the mistletoe? A new dating app on the scene is designed specifically for conventions! Introducing you to Convexion.
The Icebreaker
There’s no doubt it’s challenging to find potential mates with whom you have things in common. All Convexion users already have one common interest—the topic of the convention. Whether you are a comic book nerd at Comic-Con, a doctor at a medical conference or a meeting planner at IMEX, so is everyone else in attendance.
“Matches will have at least one point of interest, the event itself, and can start conversing more quickly and comfortably,” says Convexion founder Jared van Aalten. “Meeting in person is also simpler because matches will be at the same hotel or very close. Speed is a significant factor because most people attend conventions for only a few days. There’s no time to beat around the bush! Of course, we love to hear when matches continue beyond the convention.”
According to a 2012 study conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and the Convention Industry Council (which has since rebranded as Events Industry Council), more than 1.8 million meetings occurred during that calendar year in the United States. The report, titled The Economic Significance of Meetings to the U.S. Economy, also estimated that 225 million people attended the various meetings.
“When you go to meetings, I think it’s a great opportunity to explore all opportunities, whether it be romance or a new job,” Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta star Monte Durham says.
There are many fish in the convention sea and if you’re swimming around in the dating pool, maybe just one of them is your prince or princess charming. Wouldn’t this be a funny “how we met” story to tell your grandkids one day?
Safety First
The No. 1 rule for online dating is to meet for the first time in a public setting. Nothing is more public than a convention being attended by thousands of people. Convexion requires all users to check in to the app by snapping a selfie with their badge to ensure registrants are being honest about attending the event.
Attendees who are single and ready to mingle are able to communicate only with mutual matches via a texting-type interface. Users who encounter inappropriate behavior can block and report the other account. The app will suspend policy violators to keep everyone safe. Although users log in to the app using their Facebook credentials, van Aalten maintains that Convexion does not post anything on users’ Facebook accounts.
You Can’t Put a Price Tag on Love
Convexion was first put to the test in August 2017 at Dragon Con in Atlanta. The app is still in the beta-testing phase, so all its features are being offered to users for free at the moment. People who download it before the end of the year will get a free lifetime VIP membership. Once the app officially launches, which is aimed to be at its first anniversary—at Dragon Con 2018—complimentary features will be restricted and paid users will have access to bonus features.
The app is available to all sexual and gender preferences. “Love doesn’t discriminate and neither do we,” van Aalten says. His company partners with meeting professionals looking to incorporate the app into their event.
Matchmaking in The Meetings World
Matchmaking is not a foreign concept to meetings. At Smart Meetings events, our planning staff utilizes the software program Conference Solutions (CSS) to schedule productive meetings between appropriate planners and suppliers who could potentially do business together. Registrants fill out a questionnaire to designate the types, size and locations of meetings they plan, and any vendors they are not interested in meeting with. The algorithm works its magic to match mutually beneficial pairs. Then, the fun begins with a speed-dating round for planners and suppliers.
