Everything you need to write the story — assets, angles, sources, and access in one place
Speed dating! Modern, host-free, app-free
Luvvly runs intimate blind speed dating events — 6 to 9 one-on-one dates per evening, no host, no app, no swiping. We serve straight, queer, and WLW communities across five U.S. cities. We've been covered by Business Insider and Willamette Week. Data, quotes, photos, video, and founder time are all below — no email needed to get started.
JUMP TO ⬇
PREVIOUSLY COVERED BY:
BUSINESS INSIDER
“Speed dating is better than dating apps — and the data proves it”
March 2024 · National · Online · Reporter available for re-pitch on Pride WLW angle
WILLAMETTE WEEK
“A Portland power couple wants to revolutionize speed dating”
December 2023 · Portland · Print & online · Feature profile of founders Michelle Gydosh & Joe Sky
BY THE NUMBERS:
50k
first dates
hosted6
mutual matches
per event5
active cities
in the U.S.68%
first-timers
come againSTORY ANGLES
Each angle below is fully supported with data, quotes, and sources. Pick what fits your beat, or pitch us a different frame entirely.
SPACE SCARCITY
Queer women have almost nowhere left to meet in person
200+ lesbian bars in 1980s — ~36 remain today
LGBTQ identity in young women has tripled since 2012
Luvvly as the modern queer third-place
Attendee case studies ready
SPACE SCARCITY
Queer women have almost nowhere left to meet in person
200+ lesbian bars in 1980s — ~36 remain today
LGBTQ identity in young women has tripled since 2012
Luvvly as the modern queer third-place
Attendee case studies ready
SPACE SCARCITY
Queer women have almost nowhere left to meet in person
200+ lesbian bars in 1980s — ~36 remain today
LGBTQ identity in young women has tripled since 2012
Luvvly as the modern queer third-place
Attendee case studies ready
SPACE SCARCITY
Queer women have almost nowhere left to meet in person
200+ lesbian bars in 1980s — ~36 remain today
LGBTQ identity in young women has tripled since 2012
Luvvly as the modern queer third-place
Attendee case studies ready
SPACE SCARCITY
Queer women have almost nowhere left to meet in person
200+ lesbian bars in 1980s — ~36 remain today
LGBTQ identity in young women has tripled since 2012
Luvvly as the modern queer third-place
Attendee case studies ready
SPACE SCARCITY
Queer women have almost nowhere left to meet in person
200+ lesbian bars in 1980s — ~36 remain today
LGBTQ identity in young women has tripled since 2012
Luvvly as the modern queer third-place
Attendee case studies ready
DOWNLOAD ASSETS
Photo package.dropbox One-page face sheet.pdf Video testimonials.mp4 Logo and brand files.zip
HOW WE CAN WORK WITH YOU
No single format. Tell us what you're building and we'll shape the access around it.
ATTEND AND OBSERVE
Show up to any event as a journalist observer — blend in, watch the format unfold, talk to attendees after. No dates required. You're there as a guest, not a participant. Press plus one welcome.
FOUNDER INTERVIEW
On-record conversation with Michelle or Joe — phone, video, or email Q&A. Available this week. 15–30 minutes. Covers format design, queer community, IRL dating, Pride strategy, or whatever your angle needs.
ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE
Go on the dates yourself. The full Luvvly experience — blind format, conversation prompts, match results the next morning. First-person essay gold. We'll comp your ticket and pair you with a cohort that fits your profile.
AUDIO PODCAST
Founder available for podcast appearances, radio segments, or recorded audio narration pieces. Can do live ambient sound from a venue the format is inherently audio-rich.
ATTENDEE SOURCES
We maintain a list of consented attendees across all five cities who are willing to speak on record. We can facilitate introductions within 24–48 hours. Real people, real outcomes — not curated success stories.
DATA ON REQUEST
We have proprietary event data we haven't published — match rates by city, return-attendee patterns, WLW vs. straight format comparison. If a specific number would make your story, ask and we'll check what we can share.
VIDEO TESTIMONIALS
ATTENDEE VOICES — names changed, full written consent on file
“I've been queer for ten years and I've never had a space that felt like it was actually built for me. I matched with two women that night. I'm seeing one of them this weekend.”
Jamie, 29, NYC — WLW event, March 2025
“I was so nervous going in. By the third date I forgot I was at a speed dating event — it just felt like a good bar night where you actually talk to people.”
Reece, 34, Portland — first-time WLW attendee, Feb 2025
“Dating apps made me feel invisible. At Luvvly I felt seen in the first five minutes.”
Sasha, 27, San Francisco — WLW, attended four events
“I never thought speed dating was for me. I thought it would feel transactional. It didn't. It felt like the most human evening I'd had in months.”
Lex, 31, Washington DC — WLW, attended two events
“I've never struggled to get matches on dating apps — but I love this so much more. Meeting people in person first puts the emphasis on actual chemistry, not a profile.”
Morgan, 38, Seattle — straight event, repeat attendee
FOUNDERS
JOE GYDOSH
CO-FOUNDER, CEO
Runs Luvvly's event format, the remote wingman system, and product iteration. Speaks to format design, why host-free and app-free works, and what a speed dating event actually feels like from the inside.
MICHELLE SKY
CO-FOUNDER, COO
Based in Portland, OR. Co-founded Luvvly in summer 2023 and runs day-to-day operations across all five cities. Background in community building. Available for Audio.
FOUNDER QUOTES
“Speed dating sounds old-fashioned until you remember it's the only format where you actually meet six real people in an evening. No algorithm. No swiping. Just a conversation.”
Joe Sky, Co-founder
“We see our regulars' names pop up event after event and we genuinely root for them. That's not something an app can do. We're actually invested in these people finding someone.”
Michelle Gydosh, Co-founder & CEO
“The goal was never to run a dating service. It was to create the conditions under which real connection becomes possible. We just play cupid as much as we can for as many people as possible.”
Joe Sky, Co-founder
“It's about finding the right one — not just anyone. That's what we tell people when they go home matchless. The format only works if people feel genuinely safe enough to be picky.”
Michelle Gydosh, Co-founder & CEO
ACTIVE CITIES
Attend any event as press — observe, participate, or just be in the room. No coverage commitment required.
TELL US WHAT YOU’RE WORKING ON
We'll get back within a few hours with the right sources, data, and access for your specific story. Or skip the form and book a call directly.
Download assets
Photo package.dropbox
One-page face sheet.pdf
Video testmonials.mp4
Logo and brand files.zip
Book a 15-min call instead
Skip the form and talk directly with Michelle or Joe about your story.