Forget swiping left or right. For some public officers in Singapore, the next match could arrive straight from a government inbox.
The Government Technology Agency, known as GovTech, has quietly launched a pilot dating initiative called FirstDate, available only to civil servants aged 21 to 35.
The project aims to put an end to swipe fatigue associated with some dating apps and build a thoughtful connection, according to its website.
It began as an idea at GovTech annual hackathon, designed to explore the real challenges people face when meeting someone new.
To get a match, users must sign in with Singpass and complete a detailed questionnaire about their interests, habits, values and preferences, including dealbreakers around religion, age and lifestyle.
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Applications close on Oct 5. The pilot is open to singles, as well as those who are widowed or divorced. Instead of endless scrolling, FirstDate uses the Gale-Shapley Stable Marriage algorithm, the same Nobel Prize-winning formula behind many serious matchmaking systems.
In each matchmaking cycle, users can receive one match, along with a compatibility score, a short description and a personal note. A match is not guaranteed every time. The algorithm, which won a Nobel Prize in 2012, establishes a system by which all participants are able to find the person they most prefer from among those who prefer them.
Once a potential match is found, both users receive an SMS and have three days to accept. Profiles are visible only to assigned matches, and contact details are shared only if both parties agree. After each match, users complete a short feedback survey, including whether they met in person.
For those who do meet, FirstDate offers Date Quests, suggested activities to break the ice. During promotional periods, matched pairs may even qualify for vouchers by completing tasks like trying a dish neither has eaten before. Users can deactivate their accounts and request removal of their information at any time.
The experiment comes as more Singaporeans are marrying later or staying single, with the Government stepping up efforts to reverse its record low birth rate through financial support and enhanced leave provisions for parents.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong put families at the centre of a key speech in August, unveiling one of the world’s most generous attempts to encourage more babies and make public housing more accessible.
Government matchmaking is not new here. The Social Development Unit was set up in 1984 to encourage graduate singles to mingle at dinners, dances and overseas trips.
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The unit was formed as more university-educated women remained single, a trend which then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew linked to concerns about the country future talent pool. SDU moved away from direct matchmaking in recent years with the rise of dating apps.
In the university space, the Aphrodite Project, started in 2019 by NUS computer science and psychology undergraduates, has long used a similar algorithm to match students. Its survey, composed of more than 60 questions, delves into lifestyle preferences, values, future plans and deal-breakers to generate the best possible match. The free platform is available to students and alumni of over 10 universities worldwide.
In Singapore, it is available only to those from NUS, NTU and SMU. Overseas, it is open to students and alumni of Harvard University and the University of Toronto, among others. In its latest run in 2026, the Aphrodite Project worked to match 1,916 participants. This year, there was also a greater gender ratio imbalance, the team running the initiative said on Telegram.
Other countries struggling with low birth rates have tried similar measures. Tokyo metropolitan government launched its own dating application in 2024. In South Korea, local governments have organised dating events and offered marriage incentives.
The Straits Times has asked GovTech for more details about the pilot and whether it will be available to the wider public. For now, FirstDate remains a small, controlled experiment, a government-backed nudge for civil servants to start something real, minus the infinite scroll.
