At a 222 event in New York, new friends exchange Instagram handles and phone numbers to keep in touch.Sydney Bradley/Business InsiderMany social-media users are looking to make friends and spend time together in person.A new wave of startups is capitalizing on this demand with tools to help people make plans.The "IRL Social" trend grew in 2024 and could carry into the new year.Making new friends, it turns out, is pretty hard.While the dominant social networks like Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat have proclaimed that they connect us with our friends, many users feel less connected and more alone than ever.A new wave of apps is trying to fill that void by replacing content algorithms with features designed to help users get together in real life.