Cerca Dating App Redefines Gen Z Relationships Ahead of TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
It’s no secret that the modern dating scene feels frustrating and disconnected, regardless of where you live. Most people have stories of awkward matches, ghosting, and endless swiping. Myles Slayton, a Gen Z entrepreneur and former banking intern in New York City, noticed that he and his friends were struggling to build meaningful connections in the city’s fast-paced dating culture. “We’re glued to our phones more than ever,” he told TechCrunch. “I kept wondering—why are dating apps so bad at helping people actually meet?”
Slayton realized the issue wasn’t dating apps themselves, but how they were built. The biggest platforms were designed for millennials, not for Gen Z, whose approach to dating has shifted back toward personal connections. “We meet people through mutual friends, through real-life circles,” he said. That insight led him, along with co-founders Willy Conzelman and Carter Munk, to launch Cerca, a dating app designed to connect users with people already within their extended social networks.
Launched just months ago, Cerca has already gained significant traction, boasting around 60,000 users—mostly in New York and at major universities across the U.S. The startup also secured a $1.6 million seed round this summer. Now, Cerca is set to take the stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 in San Francisco, as part of the highly anticipated Startup Battlefield competition.
According to Slayton, Gen Z’s return to community-based dating stems from deep changes triggered by the internet era and the COVID-19 pandemic. “We simply don’t trust strangers anymore,” he explained. “People want to feel safe and avoid rejection.” Cerca addresses both concerns. Users build standard profiles, sync their contacts, and are shown only friends or friends-of-friends already using the app. “The fear of strangers is gone,” Slayton said. Likes remain anonymous, helping reduce anxiety. The app limits users to four swipes a day, promoting more intentional choices and reducing swipe fatigue.
“There’s no reason to view hundreds of profiles a minute,” Slayton emphasized. “Each profile represents a real person.” Cerca’s interface highlights mutual friends first, then personal background and photos, placing greater importance on compatibility rather than appearance. When someone likes a profile, the app subtly boosts that user’s visibility in the other’s feed—without revealing who made the first move. Each evening, matches are unveiled simultaneously, keeping both sides equal.
Safety and privacy are key priorities. Having mutual friends allows users to verify matches easily, while customizable privacy settings let them choose how many contacts to share or block specific people. Cerca also prevents screenshots and screen recordings, ensuring discretion. “You can even filter out specific keywords like job titles,” Slayton added. “We want everyone to feel protected.”
Beyond the app, Cerca is expanding into real-world experiences through branded merchandise and exclusive social events, reinforcing its mission of building authentic communities. The team’s participation in TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 marks a major milestone. “We wanted to showcase how Gen Z is reshaping dating culture,” Slayton said. “Disrupt gives us the platform to present a healthier, more genuine vision of modern dating.”
To see Cerca live in action—and explore dozens of other innovative startups, workshops, and networking opportunities—attend TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, taking place October 27–29 in San Francisco.
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