Discover how Lian Zucker’s Loop app is changing dating from NYC to LA
We love a Jewish woman in tech who is making a difference nationally so we are excited to profile Lian Zucker and her new app Loop. Loop is an innovative matchmaking app, combining modern technology with the time-honored traditions of the Jewish community. Now it is time for Loop to enter the Chicago dating space. The best part? Loop is for everyone! You do not have to be single to use this app, and in fact if you are happily coupled and looking to help your friends – Loop is the MOVE.
Designed to let users play matchmaker for their friends or seek their own matches, Loop not a Jewish app but you can filter by religion. As Loop builds its presence in Chicago, the Midwest is about to experience a revolution in its dating landscape. “In essence, Loop makes it easy, low-stakes, and fun to set up friends and friends of friends. Because singles set up on Loop have friends in common there’s inherent trust and accountability that’s missing on any other app” Lian tells ChiTribe. Curious about how this cool Jewish team is making waves in the world of romance? Read all about Lian and Loop and download the app here.
Loop reinforces that matchmakers don’t always look like the stereotypes we may have in mind. With the Loop app, anyone can be a matchmaker and make a life changing introduction for someone they care about – especially friends!
Lian Zucker, Loop Co-Founder
Meet Lian Zucker
Where are you from?
Born in Tel Aviv. Grew up in Los Angeles. But I’ve lived in NYC for ten years… does that make me a New Yorker ?
What did you do Jewish growing up?
Holidays, trips to Israel, Seinfeld, refining the chutzpah, kvetching (on occasion only). You get it! I was raised a very proud Jew, not very observant but respectful and embracing of tradition. Also, all my grandparents were Holocaust survivors, so I grew up well aware that every Jewish holiday spent with the family is a true privilege.
What do you do for fun?
It may sound basic, but the most important thing I do for fun is spend quality time with my friends. Seriously, I scroll through my phone contacts, find someone I haven’t spoken to or seen in a while, and give them a call. I also really enjoy meeting new people and making new friendships for myself and for others. I matchmake – romantically and platonically – as a hobby.
Other than that, I enjoy running, pilates (megaformer classes – does Chicago have SLT or Solidcore?), attending theater/ comedy shows, going to art museums, exploring new restaurants, and reading.
What are your goals for your business?
I want to turn every adult on this planet into a matchmaker. Is that too ambitious? But actually, we already know of many successful relationships that came out of Loop, and that alone inspires us every single day.
Learn all about Loop
No other generation has had to approach dating like a game of roulette. Why should we? It’s time for a shake up.
Lian Zucker, Loop Co-Founder
Tell us everything about Loop!
I am in NYC and my co-founder (and brother) Adam is in the Bay Area. We work with a small and mighty team that’s mainly remote but we collocate frequently.
When did you start your business?
The idea was in the works for a long time, years even, but I quit my job to work on Loop full time in June of 2022.
Why Matchmaking in an app? What needs to change in the community and how is Loop part of the solution?
Loop was born from my own personal experience. My dating journey before Loop was dominated by swipe-based apps. I flick my thumb and receive another profile in what seems like a bottomless pit of options. Over the last 10 years, nearly every dating app that emerged was largely a derivative of that volume-based paradigm. Potential romantic candidates are plucked out of the ether and presented without social context. While these apps did some good in the world, they also precipitated bad dating behavior including lack of accountability, ghosting, catfishing, and even romance fraud.
No other generation has had to approach dating like a game of roulette. Why should we? It’s time for a shake up.
For over a thousand years, the manner in which we met our partners was rooted in social interactions, parental guidance, and community matchmakers. It’s no wonder so many cultures have rich matchmaking traditions. With Loop, we’re not building something inherently new but rather bringing a thousand year old tradition into the modern age, giving it the necessary digital facelift to make it accessible and appealing to our generation.
Loop reinforces that matchmakers don’t always look like the stereotypes we may have in mind. With the Loop app, anyone can be a matchmaker and make a life changing introduction for someone they care about – especially friends!
Surveys reveal that over 70% of people believe they’re being deceived when looking at a prospective match’s dating profile. Approaching a date with such apprehensions is a recipe for disappointment. On Loop, matchmakers help singles enter that first interaction with a level of trust that can meaningfully improve outcomes. Plus, there’s an embedded meet cute, so consider that serendipity added back into the equation.
How does Loop work?
Loop is a matchmaking app for everyone 18+. We’re not building for people of a specific religion, culture, or gender orientation. That said, it’s our honor that Loop has taken off in the Jewish community.
After downloading Loop, users indicate if they’re single or just there to set up friends. Importantly, everyone on Loop is a matchmaker, the singles too.
Singles create a profile and describe who they are and who they’d like to meet. Users then go on to build their Loops by connecting to and inviting people they know.
From there, users can then see the singles their friends know and request that the mutual friends set them up. Friends can also suggest singles to each other.
In essence, Loop makes it easy, low-stakes, and fun to set up friends and friends of friends. Because singles set up on Loop have friends in common there’s inherent trust and accountability that’s missing on any other app. Plus, Loop transforms dating from a lonely experience of solo-swiping under the blanket late at night to a more social experience where singles receive personalized recommendations from their friends.
How do we get Loop?
Download it from the App Store or Google Play Store and invite all your friends.
