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. Supporters believe that arriving with a friend and learning about someone’s personality before meeting them helps reduce the pressure often associated with dating events. As the trend spreads internationally, it raises interesting questions about whether friendship-led introductions can offer a healthier and more effective alternative to app-based dating.