Singapore turns matchmaker amid rock-bottom birthrate

Nur Aisyah, a 30-year-old civil servant in Singapore, has struggled to find a partner through work or hobbies, and finds dating apps like Tinder and Bumble ineffective. She is open to having children but worries about the high costs of housing and childcare in the city. In response to the declining birthrate, GovTech launched FirstDate, a matchmaking platform for public servants using a Nobel-winning algorithm, piloted among young government employees. The platform was developed during an annual hackathon and matches users based on a survey of their interests, habits, and values.