• South African start-up Meetable organizes weekly group dinners that match six strangers based on personality, interests and availability.
• Founder Sibs Qetu-Yates launched the platform in 2025 and reports over 1,000 people matched since launch.
• The company prepares a B2B offering, Meetable for Work, to help employers strengthen team cohesion across cities.

Meetable, a South African digital platform, seeks to reconnect people socially in a hyper-connected yet socially fragmented urban world. The company aims to reconcile modern technology with authentic human interaction through shared dinners booked via its web and mobile applications.

The Cape Town–based start-up launched in 2025 under the leadership of Sibs Qetu-Yates. The platform facilitates the weekly organisation of group meals that bring together six strangers selected according to their personality traits, interests and availability.

Users book a dinner online through the app or website, pay a fixed fee and join a group of six people at a partner restaurant. The model aims to recreate the conditions of genuine social encounters, far from the dynamics of social networks or conventional dating applications.

“Cities are full of people, but loneliness is rising,” Qetu-Yates said. “Adults often struggle to make friends after university, especially if they move to a new city or work remotely or in hybrid mode.” She added: “Dating apps dominate the space of ‘new connections,’ but very few apps exist purely for friendship and human relationships.”

Since launch, Meetable reports connecting more than 1,000 people, with many events selling out. The concept appeals to newcomers to major cities, expatriates, remote workers and individuals in transition who often seek social anchors in unfamiliar environments.

The start-up also prepares a B2B service called Meetable for Work. The offering targets companies that want to strengthen cohesion among employees spread across several cities. The platform intends to rebuild social ties, reinforce team spirit and reduce workplace isolation.

As African cities continue to expand and mobility reshapes traditional social structures, platforms like Meetable could play a significant role in rebuilding social bonds and supporting the integration of new arrivals.

This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum