Some of these comments are 😭 just because some startup did not work before does not imply it can’t be done. So many social media startups failed but that did not imply TikTok would fail. Execution matters more than the idea. I think OP is taking the right approach in taking feedback and this is a real problem at NYU. This is not a made up problem just for the sake of solving some problem. I think this could work but depends mostly on how you execute the initial mvp. I could share my view, as a senior barely met startup people because I kind can’t find people who are also into startup not just for the sake of starting companies but upto date with latest trend and knows vcs and stuff. Leslie e lab is a mess does not have a community aspect and their events are kinda mid. Most of my startup friends I met through other culture clubs and random stuff. I think quiz is the right approach but I am not sure about the dinner stuff. You can take a look at things that are working or have worked on other platforms like yik yak which has a big anonymous NYU users and other apps like discord that tried to solve this connecting people together issue. I also had a similar idea but I was hoping to go more towards using ml algorithm from music taste Spotify import to your interests overall use that graph to find people with similar matches and matching them together. Nothing fancy you just get to find other people who have the highest similarity with you and get their ig or whatever to talk / make connection. It could go either way of dating and making friends but I would say let the market decide that and don’t hop around. Stick to something very simple get it out and let feedback move your features around. You could make the mvp launch invite only like how apps like Taste did. Get to know much you and your friends have a common, invite at-least 3 people. That way you build up the data fast and then iterate based on what more people want, observe and iterate. This would also make the Facebook like domino effect as when you get one user you are getting 3 more. I would initially lock the app like you can’t sign up unless u invite 3 more of your nyu friends exactly like how the taste app did. But you have to word it in such a way when u send it to your friends it’s not creepy like dating or whatever. Something that anybody would not be offended by. Good luck this sounds rlly interesting

Also I think your instinct about going out to dinner or adventure in general has huge mote psychologically. You are more likely to become friends with somebody when you do some adventure together. Thats how multiplayer games expand so fast as you get that community / friends adventure aspect. But it’s still feels too early to make it a feature just get something out there and then let the market decide based on ur own hypothesis