Startup launches AI flatmate-finder

Kiwi startup Mogeo has launched an artificial intelligence flatmate-finding service to put an end to horror flatmate stories.

Serial entrepreneur Adam Hutchinson (pictured) and his team have developed an algorithm which matches people to the perfect flatmates. It can be used alongside existing advertising platforms such as Facebook and Trademe.

“This is a game changer. Gone are the days of making huge decisions about who you’re going to live with based on a 10 minute meeting,” Hutchinson says. “The artificial intelligence we’re building takes the guesswork out of finding flatmates. All people have to do is fill out a short personality questionnaire and we’ll look after the rest to present them with perfectly compatible flatmate options.”

The flatmate-finding service at Mogeo.com is totally free to use for individuals. In return, users are simply asked to give feedback on how compatible their flatmates are a few months after living together.

“That feedback will help with the algorithm’s machine learning and ensure we get progressively more accurate in our match-making,” Hutchinson explains. “In short: the more people who use Mogeo, the better it gets for everyone.”

The questions users answer are based around personality, hobbies, timetables, and expectations around cleanliness and socialising. For example, users are shown a photo of a kitchen sink and asked to rank how clean they feel it is.

“We’ve done months of research to work out what the most important factors are in working out flatmate compatibility,” Hutchinson says. “We’re confident our system is already far more reliable in matching good flatmates than a cold 10 minute first encounter, and our goal is to make it the global standard in matching people to live together.”

Longer term, Hutchinson plans to apply the Mogeo algorithm in the commercial sector — such as retirement villages — and sell the software at an enterprise scale.

“Imagine the potential of using Mogeo in co-living for older people to reduce the pressure on housing and ensuring all the older residents are grouped together with people who share the same interests, similar beliefs, and timetables.”

“Or imagine the increase in cooperation among soldiers or sporting teammates on tour who need to share rooms. Sharing the same living space with the right people can drastically improve someone’s productivity and happiness.”

Hutchinson is no stranger to entrepreneurship. He’s the founder of CamperMate, New Zealand’s popular travel app and GeoZone, winner of the 2015 Hi-Tech Awards (Mobile) and 2017 Innovation Awards (Tourism), which was acquired by Tourism Holdings.