New York City expands its friendship landscape with a wellness-focused launch
In a move aimed at reshaping how young people build lasting connections, Clyx today announced the New York City expansion of its friendship-first platform in a strategic collaboration with Wondermind, the mental health initiative co-founded by Mandy Teefey and Selena Gomez. The partnership, kicking off October 12, 2025, centers on a three-week series of Sunday wellness gatherings that blend mindfulness, community, and practical steps toward real-life friendships.
Bridge between friendship and mental health
The collaboration merges Wondermind’s science-backed approach to mental health with Clyx’s AI-powered “Friendship Method,” a system developed with insights from best-selling author Simon Sinek. Wondermind’s involvement helps power Clyx’s matchmaking algorithm in a way that keeps mental well-being at the core of every suggested connection and shared activity. According to Mandy Teefey, co-founder of Wondermind, the aim is to “give friendship the chance to flourish in real life” without replacing digital connections but by strengthening them with healthier, in-person engagement.
The Clyx Method: Friendship, Repetition, Real Life
Launched officially in New York City on September 18, 2025, Clyx is positioning itself as an IRL-first platform where fleeting acquaintances turn into enduring friendships through shared experiences. The app features a map-based feed that highlights local events—ranging from run clubs and yoga classes to book swaps, gallery nights, concerts, and farmers markets—while showing what friends are already planning to attend. AI-driven recommendations tailor events to personality and interests, and the platform even identifies potential “friend matches” at gatherings so users arrive with a ready-made connection in hand.
To deepen social momentum, Clyx has introduced Programs that enable tickets for a series of three to four sessions with a consistent group. This intentional repetition aligns with behavioral science findings that trust and closeness emerge through repeated, meaningful interactions rather than one-off encounters. The approach is designed to help users transform casual meetups into the kind of circle that endures in busy city life.
Three-week wellness series: Reflecting, Releasing, Resetting
The NYC launch revolves around a curated trio of Sunday gatherings from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., each with a distinct focus: Reflecting, Releasing, and Resetting. The program sequence is designed to slow pace, foster self-awareness, and cultivate an environment where participants can recognize familiar faces week after week.
- Release – a yoga and connection evening intended to unwind stress and set intentions.
- Reflect – a city walk that invites mindful pauses and journaling moments.
- Reset – a crafting night at Happy Medium Art Cafe in NYC to close the cycle with shared creation.
Attendees who enroll commit to the full October program, reinforcing the sense of continuity that Clyx champions as essential to meaningful friendship formation.
Global rollout and future steps
Following the New York program, the series expands to London on October 19, 2025, offering the same Reflect, Release, and Reset framework to a new community. In both cities, the collaboration leverages Clyx’s platform to surface events and partners while centering Wondermind’s emphasis on mental resilience, reflection, and well-being. Alyx van der Vorm, Clyx’s founder, underscores the shared vision: “real connection is the best kind of care.” The joint effort aims to demonstrate that technology can support healthier social habits rather than simply intensify screen time.
Why this matters in today’s digital age
As loneliness trends persist even in the era of constant connectivity, Clyx’s model shifts the focus from accumulating online likes to nurturing real, repeating experiences. The NYC expansion targets 18–30-year-olds—new graduates, young professionals, and others seeking authentic circles beyond the office or endless feeds. By emphasizing habit-building through repeated gatherings and guided interactions, the partnership seeks to scale warmth while offering a practical antidote to urban isolation.
How to join
Clyx is available for download on the App Store and Google Play. Tickets for the Clyx x Wondermind wellness series can be purchased in-app, with the October sessions designed to create familiarity and a sturdy foundation for genuine friendships.
About the organizations
Clyx is a friendship-tech startup founded by Alyx van der Vorm, blending AI and behavioral science to curate events, encourage repetition, and streamline in-person connection. The company has helped spark hundreds of thousands of friendships worldwide and recently closed a $14M Series A to accelerate its U.S. expansion.
Wondermind is a mental fitness ecosystem co-founded by Selena Gomez and Mandy Teefey, offering science-backed tools to democratize mental health practices and make well-being accessible in daily life.
Press contact: Pania Kirillina, pania@sublimecommunications.com, +1 917 250 7368
