about
why i built washedup
an app for finding people to do things with in Los Angeles.
washedup is a free iOS app for Los Angeles that helps you form a group of 3 to 8 people to do something real. a hike. a concert. a dinner. you post a plan, people join, the chat unlocks when the crew is full. i built it in six weeks, by myself, because i was tired of LA feeling big and lonely.
Liz
the moment
my mom and the gardens.
my mom walks in the gardens every week. i was in Lisbon, on the phone with her, and i asked how the gardens were that week. she told me she didn't go. she didn't feel like going by herself this time.
i remember thinking, with everything we have available to us, why doesn't my mom have someone to walk in the gardens with? i knew there was another woman in LA, maybe even in Pasadena, who would have loved to walk in the gardens with my mom that day. they just had no way to find each other.
what i tried
i tried everything. nothing was quite right. i didn't want to date anyone, or network, or scroll through strangers. i just wanted company for things i was already going to do. and i wanted the people coming to be happy about it, not doing me a favor.
i looked to see if the app existed. it had to. it felt so obvious to me. just a way to find company for things you already want to do. when i realized it didn't exist, something shifted.
i needed it. i was so lonely i couldn't get out of bed some days. and i kept coming back to this thought: what a beautiful way to meet people. you either join someone for something they already want to do, or they join you. no performance. no swiping. just showing up.
what a beautiful way to meet people.
so i built it
in December 2025, i taught myself to code from scratch. six weeks later, washedup launched in Los Angeles.
no team. no funding. no prior technical experience. just a problem i believed in and the conviction that i was the right person to solve it.
washedup is for people who want to spend less time on apps and more time at dinner. no scene. no clout. no pressure to post about it. if you've ever wanted to do something and didn't want to go alone, this is for you.
Liz, founder
why it matters
people over profit. legally.
washedup is incorporated as a Public Benefit Corporation. that means we are legally bound to prioritize our mission, helping people build real friendships in Los Angeles, alongside any financial return. not instead of profit. alongside it.
the loneliness data is grim and you've read it. we're not going to recite it. we'd rather build the thing that fixes it.
how washedup is different
| app | what it is | how it feels |
|---|---|---|
| Meetup | large public groups, recurring events | feels like a club you're crashing |
| Bumble BFF | one-on-one swiping for friendship | feels like dating without the dating |
| Timeleft | paid weekly dinners with matched strangers | feels like a blind date with six people |
| washedup | post a plan, form a group of 3 to 8, show up | feels like a group text that actually happens |
frequently asked
questions people ask.
what is washedup?
washedup is a free iOS app that helps people in Los Angeles form small groups of 3 to 8 to do things together. you post a plan, people join, and the chat unlocks once the group is full. no swiping, no public profiles, no scrolling strangers.
who founded washedup?
washedup was founded by Liz Bridges, a solo founder based in Los Angeles. she taught herself to code in December 2025 and built washedup in six weeks.
is washedup free?
yes. washedup is free to download and use on iOS.
is washedup safe?
yes. profiles stay private until a plan fills up, plans can be gender-specific, and group chats only unlock once the crew is complete. the app is designed to feel small and accountable, not like a public platform.
is washedup a Public Benefit Corporation?
yes. washedup is incorporated as a Public Benefit Corporation, which means it is legally committed to prioritizing its mission of reducing loneliness and rebuilding in-person community alongside financial growth.
where is washedup available?
washedup is currently available in Los Angeles, California, on iOS.
how is washedup different from Meetup, Bumble BFF, or Timeleft?
washedup is LA-only for now, designed around small groups of 3 to 8, and built on posting a specific plan rather than swiping on profiles or paying per dinner. the host sets the plan, people join, and everyone meets with a shared reason to be there.
come find your people.
washedup is for people in Los Angeles who want to spend less time on apps and more time at dinner. no scene. no clout. no pressure to post about it.
download on iOSwith love, Liz
Updated April 2026