Gallatin junior Daita Goswamy is approaching the launch date of her new mobile app, Suppr. Hoping to unite strangers through the act of sharing a meal, Goswamy channeled the basic principles behind the dating app Tinder into her zero-expectations social platform.

“I heard a lot of people complaining about how in New York, like any big city, it’s hard to make friends,” Goswamy said. “I thought, I would want an app that would help me bond with people with no sexual expectation. [With Suppr] you can have lunch with a grandma.”

Goswamy, who considers herself to be a foodie, finds dining out to be the most authentic way to bond with others. With a personal investor and $20,000 worth of startup money, Goswamy partnered with a team at Messapps to create her vision.    

“Messapps helped me through the whole thing,” Goswamy said. “It was very hands-on. All the designs we gave to the graphic designer came from my sketches.”

When using the app, a number of restaurants in the user’s local area will appear. After clicking on an eatery of interest and reading its review, the user can add it to their “Wants” list. Once matched with another user who is interested in the same restaurant, a chat room will open that enables the pair to finalize their plans. In this way, Suppr follows the basic format of dating apps like Tinder.

“Tinder really paved the way for me,” Goswamy said. “People are really open to meeting people off of apps — there’s no stigma to it any more.”

Although the app has yet to launch, many are already showing interest in it. CAS freshman Austin Schwed said Suppr shares the positive characteristics of Tinder.

“It’s brilliant,” Schwed said. “It’s Tinder with food — what else could students want? It’s like dating, without the hard part.”

As with any dating app, many users have a fear of the unknown. Tisch freshman Emma Hart admits that although the app is a step up from the hyper-sexual approach of Tinder, she is a bit apprehensive about its concept.

“I think Suppr sounds interesting, but I would be a little scared to go out with someone I didn’t know,” Hart said. “But, it does sound like a significant improvement from Tinder.”

Goswamy attributes her abilities to create an app to both her social and academic experience at NYU.

“NYU helped because everyone is so driven,” Goswamy said. “It gives you the feeling that there are no limits to what you can do. But … I came here and realized how hard it is to meet people. I realized most people just want to grab a coffee with someone.”

Goswamy hopes others will follow in her path and seize the creative opportunity of app-innovation.

“I’m interested in disruptive technology, like Uber, that can actually change things,” Goswamy said. “It bypasses tradition. It eliminates the red tape, the middleman and the bureaucracy.”

With plans to release the app worldwide, Suppr’s marketing push will be focused on New York City. Goswamy then plans to expand to Singapore, Los Angeles and London.

“I’m just taking it one day at a time,” Goswamy said.

But for now, with its website up and running and promotion codes recently released, students should keep their eyes pealed for Suppr’s impending appearance in the App Store.

“At NYU, a lot of people are too concerned about following traditional paths,” Goswamy said. “More people need to jump in the deep end and make stuff.”

A version of this article appeared in the Monday, April 27 print edition. Email Zoe Thompson at [email protected].