Software995 Inc. announced a major expansion of ThinkMatch built around a simple reversal of the usual way people meet: common ground comes first.
Most social experiences begin by introducing strangers and hoping they discover a reason to connect. ThinkMatch can now begin with the reason itself. A person chooses a current topic, campus story, book, podcast, entertainment story, video, or event that matters to them, finds others who chose it too, and joins or starts a nearby Roundtable around that shared interest.
The new model has three steps: choose what matters; find others who chose it too; and meet on common ground. Roundtables are designed as small in-person conversations of up to four people, giving everyone room to participate and a natural subject to discuss before anyone arrives.
ThinkMatch's Current Topics experience brings together timely public-interest stories, books, podcasts, entertainment and lifestyle coverage, and playable video stories. Browse, Entertainment, and, on supported platforms, Swipe views provide different ways to find a subject worth discussing. Each supported topic can connect to its public message board and nearby scheduled Roundtables.
Campus discovery applies the same model to university communities. People can explore current reporting from hundreds of university publications, browse nearby campuses, find campus calendars, discuss an article publicly, and join or start an in-person Roundtable around the reporting.
Public message boards provide an optional step between discovering a subject and meeting in person. Anyone can read a public topic or article board. A ThinkMatch account is required to post or reply, and participants can manage their own posts, report inappropriate content, and choose notifications separately from private event chat.
ThinkMatch also supports optional event-wide message boards while preserving private participant communication. Public discussions, event message boards, and private party chat remain distinct so people can understand who can see each conversation.
Meet In Common, a companion discovery experience powered by ThinkMatch participation, demonstrates how the model can extend beyond ThinkMatch itself. People can browse topics, campus reporting, and civic events without creating another account, then securely use a ThinkMatch account when they decide to participate.
The same approach can help publishers and community organizations turn reporting and public-interest coverage into participation. Properly attributed articles can link to a public discussion and a local Roundtable while continuing to direct readers to the original publisher.
ThinkMatch remains free for hosts and guests. Browsing and reading public discussions do not require an account; location and notifications are optional; and private answers and participant communication remain separate from public message boards.
"Most ways of meeting people begin with strangers and ask them to search for something in common," said Scott Rothstein, Architect at Software995 Inc. "ThinkMatch now reverses that order. People begin with something they already care about, find others who chose it too, and meet with a meaningful conversation already waiting for them."
About ThinkMatch
ThinkMatch is a common-ground-first platform built to change how people meet in real life. People can begin with a topic, story, event, or other shared interest, then find or create a small local Roundtable around it. Guests can answer event-specific questions, and ThinkMatch uses their responses to support more thoughtful introductions, compatible groups, conversation starters, private chat, and optional video before people meet in person. Hosts can also create free public or private events for parties, meetings, campus activities, conventions, community gatherings, and other real-world occasions. ThinkMatch's goal is to make meeting new people feel easier, warmer, and more intentional by giving people a meaningful reason to talk before they walk into the room.
About Software995 Inc.
Software995 Inc. is a Palo Alto, California-based software company best known for Pdf995, the long-running PDF creation and document publishing suite with more than 50 million installations and millions of enterprise users worldwide. For more than 20 years, Software995 has built practical, affordable software for document creation, conversion, security, search, backup, FTP, imaging, and workflow productivity. The company's newer products include ThinkMatch, a platform for real-world introductions, events, matching, invitations, chat, video, and group discovery, and SearchWithin, a survey experience that helps people understand themselves through feedback from the people around them.
Media Contact
Scott Rothstein, Architect
Software995 Inc.
[email protected]