An App Helping Young People Find Friends is Coming to Milwaukee

Two years ago, Madison native Michael Orosz-Fagen and his Saint Louis University classmate Stuart Ray embarked on a mission to help Gen Z make friends in real life. Combining their expertise in entrepreneurship and computer science, they created Mesh, an app that pairs groups of four similarly aged strangers for weekly Saturday morning coffee meet-ups at local cafés.

Since its launch in Madison in April, Mesh has quickly gained popularity, boasting over 1,000 members. It’s become a buzzword among young professionals, especially at Epic Systems, one of Madison’s largest employers. “It’s humbling to hear that we’re having enough impact in Madison that Mesh comes up in conversation,” Orosz-Fagen said.

Though Mesh currently only operates in Madison, the founders have always aimed to expand. On Sunday, they added a feature allowing users to select from over 40 major U.S. cities, including Milwaukee, where meet-ups will begin once the app reaches 500 sign-ups. After just three days, nearly 60 Milwaukeeans have already registered.

Mesh’s unique approach matches users based on age and personality traits. Every Wednesday, participants receive invites for Saturday coffee dates. Premium members can enjoy additional perks like discounts, flexible meeting times, and priority invites.

As Mesh prepares to expand beyond Madison, Orosz-Fagen has been scouting potential coffee shop partners in new cities, aiming to replicate the positive reception the app has received from Madison’s café community.

“We’re just two guys trying to help people,” Orosz-Fagen shared. “Building a company is tough, but the support we’ve received, especially in Wisconsin, makes it easier.”