Need a date or a friend? Miami social app hopes to spark connections

How it works: The idea is that when you download the app, you create a basic profile and see a map with participating venues and how many users are there.

• Once you arrive, you check in, select whether you're interested in dating or friendship, and peruse the profiles of the folks who are also at the venue.

• If you find a match and you're both interested in meeting, the chat function turns on and lets you take it from there.
• Once you leave the venue, the chat disappears.

Follow the money: The venues pay Stoke to get customers in the door. The app is free.

What they're saying: Kevin Battista, founder and CEO of Stoke and a recent Fort Lauderdale transplant, says singles are tired of swiping on their dating apps but acknowledges approaching someone in person can be awkward.

• He wants Stoke to help break the ice and get people off their phones.
• "I've always been terrified to go approach people mainly because there's a stigma," he tells Axios. "We need something different, especially with Gen Z — they grew up around phones."

The latest: Stoke is launching a pilot dating event Nov. 7 at five venues in Wynwood to test the app and get feedback.

• Participating venues include the Sylvester cocktail lounge, Sürenitea Wellness Kava Bar and the White Elephant cocktail bar.

What's next: Battista says he wants to launch in January with a target of partnering with 60 businesses across the Miami area.