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Annie Xu, an MBA/MSW dual degree graduate, founded Pairfect, an online matchmaking service.Credit: Abhiram Juvadi
Annie Xu, a third-year student in the University of Pennsylvania's MBA and MSW program, launched Pairfect in 2022 as an alternative matching service to dating apps.
Pairfect users first create a profile by completing a survey, then schedule a video call with a member of the matchmaking team to get a better idea of the user's personality. All members of the matchmaking team have experience in social girlfriend work, clinical psychology, or family or couples therapy. The user is then provided with possible matches.
Pairfect also partners with and promotes local Philadelphia businesses, which offer users discounts on products and services.
When the app first launched, it was piloted with graduate students at Penn State University.
Xu told the Daily Pennsylvanian that she was inspired to start Pairfect after hearing about the frustrations of friends in Philadelphia who were using dating apps, and wanted to create a more personalized solution. He said he wanted to make one. She also said she is grateful for the financial support, guidance, and guidance she received from the University of Pennsylvania Venture Lab.
Chloe Ahle, a first-year Wharton MBA and chief of staff at Pairfect, will be responsible for expanding Pairfect's market beyond graduate students in Philadelphia to working adults in Philadelphia and the Northeast region. It will be. She said she resonates with Pairfect's mission to foster meaningful relationships and connect with other people in a demographic that typically avoids dating apps.
“We're starting to see that people are more open and willing to talk about dating in this modern climate where you can potentially meet someone online,” she says.
Alle emphasized that all Pairfect users have the opportunity to meet with a professional with counseling experience, which differentiates Pairfect from other apps that use swipe-based gamification.
Ms. Hsu said she is motivated by a desire to help people build long-term relationships through her work.
“I can think of couples who would never have crossed paths if it weren't for this service,” Xu said.
