We love the idea behind dating app Kama - to get you off your screen and to an actual in-person date as quickly as possible. We recently spoke with Itamar and Arjun, Kama’s Co-Founders, to learn more.

Tell us about yourselves

We are students at Columbia University. Itamar is originally from Israel, where he spent over 2 years in the military in the tech field. Arjun is originally from Singapore, and he also served in the military as a firefighter. We are passionate entrepreneurs, and upon our arrival in NY, we become friends over our shared interests, but mainly over discussing our dating life. We would hang out at a campus bar, talking about our frustration with those apps. We both used Tinder and Bumble, and Itamar also tried Grindr, an app for gay people; but even though we had matches, we rarely went on any real-life dates. We were wondering - is this only our problem? Are we the only ones who suck at texting, who hate endless swiping? We asked our friends on campus, and we were astonished by how widespread this problem is. People, almost unanimously, shared their negative thoughts about dating apps - but most importantly - they shared their frustration over the fact that they wanted to meet people in person, but ended up only swiping, matching, and texting, to never actually meet in person.

We decided to seek a solution. What could we do to create a better experience when dating online? How could we create a better matching-to-dating ratio? What if we could offer people an easy, end-to-end dating experience - starting on a mobile app and going offline ASAP?

How did you get the idea for Kama?

This is when we came up with Kama - a mobile dating app, literally. Not "an introduction app", as Aziz Ansari and Eric Klinenberg phrased in their book Modern Romance (which Itamar highly recommends). With Kama, our users swipe on people’s profiles (by looking at their photos, bio, and shared friends and followers on social media). Once they find someone they think they might like, and match with them, then voila! Kama suggests an actual date - a location and a time - based on their preferences. They don't need to spend time setting up the date themselves. And the punch line is, that by partnering with local businesses that act as the date's location, Kama also provides discounts and an exclusive dating experience.

Tell us more about Kama and the process of going on a date

We think that intimacy is a necessity, especially during these crazy times. It's proven that having close friends is crucial to our mental and physical well being. But there's this strange paradox that we try to keep ourselves safe during COVID by isolating ourselves. However, by doing so, we also hurt ourselves. We might only feel it slowly, gradually, but the truth starts to hit hard - depression among adults in the USA has tripled since the pandemic emerged. We personally felt the struggle, and I'm sure that you did as well. This is why we believe in the importance of in-person romantic relationships, especially during these times. Of course, we promote following the rules and regulations around social conduct, but we also want people to find love in their lives, now more than ever.

With Kama, people sign up and fill in their time availability and favorite activities such as restaurants, bars, cafes, and ice cream shops. Then, they swipe right on people they want to meet. Once they match, they receive the logistics for their upcoming date. There is no need to do anything else.

One specific question that we're being asked a lot is - "is it safe?". Safety is our first priority. First of all, all Kama Dates are set up at partnering local businesses. This is also why we ask our users to adhere to Kama's dating location, and not be tempted to change it to "a walk in the park" or "chill at the match's place". Once you meet the match at a public venue, and get to know them, then we trust your judgment to choose for yourself whether it is safe to meet the person privately. We also have a GPS-tracking feature, so that once on the date, you can provide access to your live current location to someone you trust.

Why are good photos so important?

Photos are obviously important when creating a profile on a dating app. They have to show that we're attractive, fun, engaging, clever, friendly, and the list goes on. Can we show all of that through photos, though? We want to strengthen an important fact - that people truly fall in love if there's a level of physical attraction, but more than that, after enjoying each other's company, getting to know each other, and having shared memories with each other. We're sure you heard about people who initially weren't attracted to each other, but after spending time together fell in love and got married. The point is - your photos should be decent, but we encourage you to swipe-right people you're not sure are entirely your type. You might even fall in love with them!

The best way to assess the potential of a long term relationship is by meeting in person. Texting for long periods, and even doing phone and video calls, is just not enough. Photos on your profile will indeed help you get those matches, but it's truly important to aim for in-person meetings if we wish to truly figure out - is this an ACTUAL match? We compared the time spent on average on dating apps - 80 minutes a day, or over 9 hours a week - with the length of one date per week - approximately 3 hours. Our conclusion is that you could date in person throughout the week without spending so much time online, and even save yourself hours of time! This is why people should use Kama - it will save them so much time, energy, and frustration.

What are your photo tips / recommendations?

The best photos are the genuine ones, where you are expressing your best self. People can spot inauthenticity and fake photos, so our best advice regarding photos are to have fun, enjoy your life and experiences, and upload that essence to your profile. By focusing your life on positive thoughts, meaningful experiences and friendships, and self-development, you do yourself the biggest favor. And by taking a picture at these moments and showing those in your profile, you give the other side the sense that you're confident, joyful, and a great dating partner.

Kama is launching soon. If you'd like to learn more, go to their website and sign up to join their mailing list and waitlist, and follow them Instagram.