Stitch helps over-50s find companions for life and travel, not just dating

When the Australian entrepreneur was starting social media platform Tapestry in the US, he began encountering the issue of social isolation.
So he created Stitch, a website to help over-50s find companions, travel, attend local events and activities, or even find love.
“It started with seniors, but I found (social isolation) was actually common and you don’t need to be all that old,” Mr Dowling said.
“So I created Stitch, for anyone from 50 and above, people who’ve left a part of their life behind and are no longer looking for a partner to have kids with.
“When you’re younger, you have opportunities (to meet people) like going to uni, having kids, then when you get to a certain age your friends start to move away, you retire, you get divorced.”
Mr Dowling originally launched Stitch in San Francisco last year, growing to more than 3000 members in six months.
But with half his team based in Australia and the majority of “foreign” membership requests coming from his home country, Mr Dowling knew it was time to bring it to Sydney.
Stitch will first launch on the north shore and Central Coast when it has enough registered members, hopefully by the end of June.
“Our first target is to grow to 5000 members in the Sydney area,” Mr Dowling said.
“We’ll then start work on building the community so that it can touch the lives of millions of over-50s right across the country.”
Mr Dowling said while there were lots of dating sites for over-50s, he believed his was the first site aimed at companionship.

To sign up and start connecting with possible friends, visit stitch.net

WHAT IS IT?
Stitch founder and chief executive Andrew Dowling describes the business as a way for over-50s to have a socially engaged life and overcome loneliness, without having to use a standard dating site.
“It’s not just about dating. Romance is part of it, but it’s about the broader need for companionship,” he said.
■ Users can create profiles, which allows them to browse other profiles, meet members, attend local events, travel and join in the online community.
■ In the US, Stitch has run cruise events, where members can go on a general cruise but participate in member-only activities.
■ They also connect members who have similar interests, with some going on to travel with their new friends, meet up for group events locally, or learn languages together.
■ To ensure the site is as safe as possible, Stitch requires all users to go through an identity check before they can talk to any other users.
■ Stitch offers both free and paid plans, depending on how much interaction is wanted.