A new app has been launched on crowdfunding platform Indiegogo that promises to "rescue men and women from awkwardness, eerie silences and slaps."
Say Something, which will be available for the iPhone, will "turn confusing first dates into an enjoyable, fun play."
The app allows men to practice their conversational skills with real women and vice versa.
It presents a situation, for example, ‘You’re standing at a bar and she smiles at you’, and then asks the player to type what they would say. Female players then immediately give feedback, giving it a thumbs-up or down. They also type their own response, to which the man can provide feedback too.
Maeva Biré, community developer of Say Something, said: "We want to save the world from poor small-talk. Men have lost the confidence to strike a conversation, and when they do, usually after a few beers, it’s terrible.
"Say Something seeks to change that. Men and women from around the world can practice their conversational skills from the comfort of their home, and learn what works and what doesn’t. As it’s a real conversation, it can keep going for as long as they like."
Marian Gazdik, creator of Say Something, explained his motivation for wanting to build this crowdsourcing platform for personal dating advice, "When the idea surfaced with a group of friends, what surprised me was the overwhelming positive response from the girls.
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"They were saying how amazing it would be to give honest feedback, and perhaps to help build confidence of men. The more we tested the idea with the public, the greater the positive response. It’s been funny to see men laugh at the idea, pause, and then say: ‘actually I’d like to give that a go’."
Say Something is seeking to raise $31,000 (£20,000) to develop and bring the app to market, promising backers who pledge $75 (£49) an online dating profile makeover with a professional online dating expert, and for $990 (£640) a weekend in Las Vegas.
The UK-based company is just the latest in a raft of companies using crowdfunding platforms to help kickstart their products.
