The WashedUp Story: Make Life Easier to Say Yes To
Why WashedUp exists, and the moment it became clear something needed to change.
The Story
Every idea starts with a moment that changes you. This was mine.
No one should miss something they love just because they didn’t have someone to go with.
That’s why I built WashedUp.
I moved to Lisbon knowing I’d be starting fresh. I was excited, new places to explore, new energy, new everything. But even in all that excitement, I kept hitting the same quiet feeling:
I really wanted to go do something… but I didn’t want to go alone.
Not because I was scared or couldn’t. I just… didn’t want to.
And that feeling kept coming back.
Then one day, my mom casually told me she hadn’t gone to the garden that week, something she usually loves. When I asked why, she simply said:
“I didn’t have anyone to go with.”
It wasn’t dramatic. Just honest. And it stuck with me.
Because what she said, and what I was feeling, wasn’t just about loneliness. It was about how simple things feel different when you do them with someone else. You don’t always need a best friend or a full group. Sometimes, you just want a couple of people to go with.
That’s when I realized: I’d spent my whole life connecting people without even meaning to.
Traveling. Hosting. Building spaces that made strangers comfortable enough to become familiar.
And I started to wonder:
Could I do that on a global scale?
Could I make it easier for anyone, anywhere, to have people to go with?
That’s why I built WashedUp.
Because sometimes, company is what makes you want to go.
Sometimes, the smallest moments show you what people silently carry.
And once you see it, you can’t unsee it.
People aren’t avoiding experiences, they’re avoiding going alone.
And if something as simple as the right company can change that,
then it shouldn’t be hard to find.
The Problem
“Most people don’t avoid experiences, they just avoid going alone.”
“I’d go… if I had someone to go with.”
Social apps were designed to simplify connection, yet many evolved into dating platforms or endless scroll zones. They often overlook those seeking genuine, local, everyday companionship.
We kept hearing the same thing from people in new cities, people whose friends were unavailable, and people stuck waiting for group chats that never turned into real plans: “I’d go…if I had someone to go with.”
The Fix
Connection shouldn’t be complicated. It should feel natural, safe, and effortless.
No swiping. No endless chats.
No waiting for someone else to organize something.
Create an event based on what you genuinely feel like doing
Choose filters like age, gender, vibe, or group size
Match only with people who share that energy
Gender Specific until at least 4 others are invited, but can still stick with single gender
Join groups or host your own, safely and comfortably
WashedUp makes it simple to create or join low-pressure, small-group plans with people you’d actually want to hang out with.
No pressure. No randomness. Just a couple of people, or a few someones, to go with.
Why It Matters
Because connection doesn’t just change what you do, it changes how you feel.
We believe there’s confidence in company.
Yes, you can do things alone, but it also feels different when you don’t have to.
Sometimes it’s not about the hike, or the restaurant, or the class.
It’s about having people beside you, while you do the things you love. Even if it’s just Company.
Everyone has their type of people.
We’re just helping you get close to finding them, and go do the things you already want to do.
Because sometimes, having company is what makes you want to go.