Its a good point, without the possibility of getting laid, the whole speed dating thing is probably lame. But, eHarmony, for instance, is a matching service -

Its a good point, without the possibility of getting laid, the whole speed dating thing is probably lame. But, eHarmony, for instance, is a matching service - and at least some folks trust that it is helpful, and that is big. I see services like: http://paradigm5.com/ http://paradigm5.com/ - which is a semantic match-making service for professionals. I am consulting on a similar project for an economic development organization, and see tremendous potential.. if it works just good enough. Even without automated matchmaking, VC's often pair up business guys they believe in with a technical team that fits the bill. This could be a paid service. And this is about more than having the VC in your network, its also about having the expertise to properly pair people to execute. Imagine the utility if you are a technical co-founder, and you are presented with a plateful of opportunities that match your skill set. Then you are empowered to narrow down your choices from there. Networking will always serve its purpose. But, surely, there are venture scenarios where matchmaking, done right, would be a more efficient alternative that spending the resources required to expand your own network?