Friendship Accelerator
48 hours to go from strangers to the girls you send memes to and plan double-dates with.
You've been in Zurich long enough.
You’ve met perfectly nice people. You’ve said all the right things. And you still don’t have the group you actually wanted. It’s not for lack of trying —
- The brunches that stayed polite.
- The networking events you left alone.
- The "we should hang out sometime" that never happened.
Roughly how long it takes before people start to feel like real friends.* Most adults spread it across months — if they get there at all.
* based on friendship research from the University of Kansas
48hr staycation that bonds you
It’s a weekend built around the conditions that make real friendship form: shared experiences, real conversation, and enough time that the awkward part is over by Saturday afternoon.
You probably belong here if…
You’ve been in Zurich for years, but your circle is all work and hobby acquaintances — never quite friends.
You want a life and friendships of your own — separate from your boyfriend’s world and his friends.
You recently moved to Zurich and need to build a social life from scratch — fast.
You are Swiss but from another canton, or recently moved back — starting over in a city that isn’t quite yours yet.
You’re busy, and building friendships slowly over the next two years sounds exhausting.
You’re tired of surface-level conversations that never actually go anywhere.
What actually happens
📍 Saturday 3 October, 10:00–20:00 · Sunday 4 October, 10:00–17:00.
The exact activities and Zurich locations are shared with accepted participants in the Playhard app.
Come on your own. Across two days, we mix active, playful, deep connection and slower moments so bonding never depends on making small talk with a stranger.
Expect a range of social-bonding activities, including a sporty movement session. Nothing is about being the best — every activity is chosen to make it easier to relax, play and connect.
Saturday includes brunch, guided deep-talk moments and dinner out together.
On Sunday we mix more shared experiences with movement, coffee, games, conversation and a closing that turns “we should hang out” into plans already in the diary.
By Sunday evening you won’t believe you didn’t know these girls two days ago.
Hi, I’m Elza — I started Playhard, and I’ll be hosting the weekend myself.
I’ve run over 150 Playhard socials, so I know exactly how to make a room full of strangers feel easy.
This is what Playhard looks like.
The last Friendship Accelerator
What they said
- ★★★★★
“I liked that it was so condensed — so many activities in one weekend!”
- ★★★★★
“The host was great at making connections and helping us create contact.”
- ★★★★★
“I was surprised that there were such great girls here!”
- ★★★★★
“The activities were so engaging and diverse — from a city quest to presentations night. Time flew by and I laughed so hard. We even arranged future meet-ups with the girls!”
How it works
Not everyone’s right for this weekend — the magic needs the right mix of energy, openness and intention. So you start with a 2-minute application: it tells us how you connect and whether this group is your fit. Then you reserve one of only 12 places.
It also means you’ll walk in already knowing something true about every girl in the room.
Complete the 2-minute application.
Pay a deposit to hold one of 12 places.
You’re welcomed into the group — or refunded in full.
Not included: accommodation — it’s a Zurich weekend, so you sleep at home — plus our Saturday dinner out and any drinks. For dinner we go together and everyone orders their own, so bring your card.
3–4 October weekend. No membership required.
You only reserve at the very end · full refund if it’s not your fit.
Zero risk.
Two guarantees.
One protects your application. One protects your experience.
The fit guarantee.
You pay to hold your spot while we review if you’re right for the group. We will either confirm your spot or refund you.
The satisfaction guarantee.
Show up to both full days and really give it a go; if by Sunday evening you don’t feel it was worth it, just tell us before you head home and you get every franc back. This is our very first Accelerator: we care more about you leaving with a story worth telling than about your ticket.
Leave with girls you’ll actually see again.
You’ll leave with a group chat that stays active and plans already made — a friend group, not a list of contacts. Everyone here is intentional about building real friendships in Zurich, so you’re all showing up for the same thing.
And because you’ve spent a full weekend together, you’re already past the awkward phase. Meeting up after won’t feel like effort — it’ll feel like a fun thing you do with your people.
Do I need to know someone beforehand? +
No — everyone comes alone and leaves with friends.
I’m introverted. Will this be overwhelming? +
Honestly, this was designed for introverts — small group, guided conversations and a full slate of activities, so there’s no pressure to constantly be "on" or to invent things to talk about. It may be a little more than you’re used to, and that’s kind of the point: whatever you’ve been doing so far hasn’t brought you the friends yet, so this is meant to stretch you a bit. It’s slightly challenging, but it works — and we know because our members prove it, with plenty of reviews from girls who are reserved and naturally introverted.
Why keep the group to 10–12? +
It’s enough people that you’ll find the ones you genuinely vibe with (usually 3–4), but not so many that it turns chaotic — or leaves you with FOMO because you never got to talk to someone. At 10–12, everyone gets to know everyone: nobody gets lost, and nobody spends the whole weekend talking to the same two people. Small enough to feel safe, big enough to find your people.
How is this different from a Playhard membership? +
Membership is a continuous, week-to-week experience. The Accelerator is an intensive. Think of learning German: membership is the weekly class, the Accelerator is the boot camp. We’ve taken everything we know about what actually turns people into friends and built this weekend around it.
How does it work? +
Start with the 2-minute application, then reserve your spot to hold one of 12 places. We review whether the weekend is the right fit for you. If it’s not, you get every franc back. If it is, you’ll get an email from us — we review applications by hand, so it can take a few days — with details to join our community app. There you’ll set up your profile, see all the activities, and get everything you need before and during the weekend.
What if I come and it’s not for me? +
Then you don’t pay for it. Come to both full days and really give it a go — if by Sunday evening you don’t feel it was worth it, tell us before you head home and we’ll refund you in full. No form, no fine print. It’s our first Accelerator, and we’d rather send you home with a refund than a bad memory.
Do I have to drink? Is this a party weekend? +
No. Drinks are always optional, and the Accelerator is not a party format. The weekend mixes movement, playful social activities, brunch, dinner and guided deeper conversation — you can be fully part of it without drinking alcohol.
Do I need to live in Zurich? +
No. The weekend runs in English, mostly for girls 25–35, and all the main activities happen in Zurich — but you don’t have to be from Zurich to come.
What’s included, and what do I pay for on the day? +
Your ticket covers the full two-day experience, all activities and the movement session, Saturday brunch and snacks, Sunday coffee, all materials and a few things to take home. It’s not all-inclusive: bring your card for our Saturday dinner out and any drinks — we go together and everyone orders their own. Accommodation isn’t included either — it’s a Zurich weekend, so you sleep at home.
What happens after the weekend? +
You’ll have a group chat, real plans, and an open invitation to keep the momentum going through Playhard.
This only works because of the girls in the room.
We keep it small on purpose. Applications are reviewed — spots go to girls who are here to connect, not collect contacts. If that’s you:
Apply to join →9 of 12 spots left