Grouper

Grouper was a social platform designed to facilitate in-person connections by arranging drinks between two groups of friends. The service specialized in matching groups of three individuals, typically three men and three women, although other configurations were also accommodated. Launched in New York City during the summer of 2011, Grouper expanded its operations to major cities throughout the United States, enabling its members to share countless social experiences. Founded by Michael Waxman, a Yale graduate with prior experience in the language-learning sector through his company Batiq, and Tom Brown, an MIT engineer and early employee of MoPub (later acquired by Twitter), the company also benefited from the contributions of Challen Hodson and Kristen Badal. Grouper received funding as part of the Y Combinator Winter 2012 batch.