Manny Manzel & Conor Crighton, 'Crossed' and New Connections

Crossed aims to facilitate authentic connections by focusing on real-life proximity and encounters, addressing superficiality in digital interactions. Manny Manzel and Conor Crighton founded Crossed. It uses geo-proximity technology to connect users with those they’ve physically encountered, fostering friendships, professional connections, and romantic relationships through shared experiences and natural interactions.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: What was the motivation to create Crossed?

Manny Manzel and Conor Crighton: The motivation behind creating Crossed was to facilitate genuine, meaningful connections by focusing on real-life encounters and proximity. We wanted to build an app that seamlessly integrates into users’ daily lives, allowing them to form friendships, romantic relationships, or professional connections in a natural and authentic way.

Jacobsen: How does the app address superficiality in existing social and professional networking platforms?

Manzel & Crighton: Crossed combats superficiality by prioritizing real-world proximity over algorithms that favor popularity or appearance. This approach increases the likelihood of users forming deeper, more meaningful connections, as the app encourages interactions rooted in real-world experiences rather than digital personas.

Jacobsen: How does Crossed utilize geo-proximity technology?

Manzel & Crighton: Crossed uses geo-proximity technology to connect users with others they’ve physically crossed paths with. Whether on a college campus, at events, or during daily routines, users can see those who have been in the same spaces, giving a natural context to potential connections. Profiles only become visible to each other once both users have exited this bubble.

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This built-in safety mechanism ensures a comfortable distance between users before their profiles pop up, enhancing user safety during the matching process.

Jacobsen: What challenges do students face when trying to make meaningful connections?

Manzel & Crighton: Students often struggle with shyness and social anxiety, compounded by the prevalence of platforms that prioritize surface-level interactions. Crossed offers a solution by providing a tool that encourages organic, real-world introductions, helping to bridge the gap and reduce the intimidation of approaching someone in person.

Jacobsen: What are creative strategies for students to break the ice?

Manzel & Crighton: One strategy is to get involved in group activities like campus events, clubs, or sports. For students who find this intimidating, Crossed provides a less daunting way to break the ice by facilitating connections that have already crossed paths in real life, making the first step toward conversation more natural.

Jacobsen: How does Crossed differentiate from traditional dating apps in fostering genuine encounters?

Manzel & Crighton: Unlike traditional dating apps that often rely on swiping based on superficial factors, Crossed encourages in-person encounters and connections built on shared experiences. It fosters friendships, professional opportunities, and romantic relationships through natural chemistry and context, rather than relying solely on digital profiles.

Jacobsen: What role does Crossed play in helping students form friendships, romantic relationships, and professional opportunities?

Manzel & Crighton: Crossed enhances real-world connections by focusing on shared spaces like dorms, classrooms, and social areas on college campuses. It helps students transform frequent, casual encounters into meaningful relationships, offering a platform that supports friendships, romances, and professional opportunities.

Jacobsen: How has the media attention influenced the app’s growth?

Manzel & Crighton: Media coverage has played a pivotal role in raising awareness of Crossed, boosting sign-ups, and generating interest in its unique features. The emphasis on geo-proximity and authentic real-world interactions has particularly resonated with college students looking for deeper connections beyond the digital world.

Jacobsen: What is the vision for Crossed to further real-life interactions on college campuses?

Manzel & Crighton: Crossed envisions becoming a vital part of campus life by continuing to integrate with students’ day-to-day activities. By organizing events and encouraging face-to-face interactions, the app aims to bridge the digital and physical worlds, helping students build long-lasting, authentic relationships that extend beyond the screen.

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