Speed dating is often thought of as solely for young single people who don't have time to meet people socially.
However, a new business pitching event takes on where speed dating has kicked off and puts small businesses in touch with bigger companies.
In an article on CNNMoney.com, entitled Business Matchmaking: Speed-dating for contracts, the networking event is highlighted as a great way for entrepreneurs to strike up lucrative business deals.
Diane Paparo, of interior design firm Diane Paparo Associates, notes that the economy has had a serious effect on companies and as such, the Business Matchmaking event is a vital lifeline.
"I don't have delusions that I'll leave here with a contract. But I can make direct contacts to follow up with who have tangible leads," she said.
"The size of projects is smaller. People have realized they can live in 8,000 square feet rather than 15,000 square feet.
"As the clients are revisiting budgets for things like faucets, I had to downsize staff and move offices and cut expenses. So now I'm seeking government contracting to even out the business model."
CNNMoney noted that Ms Paparo's insight is a "smart move" as government agencies are continuing to invest while corporations have to cut back on budgets for the services that she offers.
The Business Matchmaking event is aimed at helping to "demystify" the area, with many businesses unsure as to how to go about getting a lucrative government contract.
Hector Barreto, a former administrator of the Small Business Administration, commented : "We say how important small business is, that it's the backbone of the economy, but it's hard for them to gain access to buyers."
With the recession, many people who are attending the events are new, from both the government and the small business side.
Sarah Abdelrahim, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, attended as some of the programmes offered by the agency were going from grant-based to contracts.
"That transfer has us looking to work more with businesses, which are typically more familiar with the contract processes than academic institutions," she said.
During the day she planned on meeting 13 businesses and noted that she would "direct" anyone who she could not help directly.
Although the event covered in the article was held in New York, more are being held all over the country, with San Francisco seeing the next Business Matchmaking on July 14th.
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