Social platform Joiner raises €500K to help people make real-life connections

Lithuania-based Joiner, a social platform that helps people make real-life friends through shared activities and events, has raised €500,000 in an angel round, bringing total funding to €1.2 million. The company will use the capital to improve product stability, test monetisation features, and lay the groundwork for expansion into new European markets.

Loneliness is a growing public health concern. In 2023, the World Health Organisation flagged it as a global issue, and surveys show more than 30 per cent of young adults feel lonely daily. At the same time, reliance on dating apps is waning, with many users reporting “dating app burnout.” Demand is rising for simpler, lower-pressure ways to meet people offline.

Joiner addresses this need by connecting people through shared activities. The app helps users, whether new to a city or looking to broaden their social circle, find others with similar interests and form friendships. By emphasising casual, group experiences, Joiner reduces the pressure of one-on-one meetings and supports more natural connections within local communities.

Eduard Titov, founder and CEO of Joiner, outlines the mission to tackle loneliness through real-world group activities:

We know the model resonates because we have attracted tens of thousands of users on almost no marketing spend. There is a genuine organic demand for genuine, social experiences.

Activities on the platform include bar crawls, board-game nights, running clubs, day hikes, and car shows. Both expats and locals often act as informal ambassadors, with word-of-mouth complementing social media. Many dedicated users become hosts, organising activities directly in the app.

With the new funding, Joiner plans UX upgrades to chat and event-creation features and will pilot a subscription offering with premium options for attendees and organisers. Expansion is on the roadmap for early 2026, starting with mid-sized European cities with active expat and digital-nomad communities, including Prague, Lisbon, and Málaga.