Brynn Putnam and Tristan Walker have created companies that focus on fostering real-life connections. Putnam's new venture, Board, offers a 24-inch touchscreen table that blends physical play with digital interaction, while Walker's Heirloom Craft buys up fine-craft trade schools to bridge the gap between digital solitude and tangible skills.

The timing is perfect: the World Health Organization now recognizes loneliness as a global health challenge. Americans are increasingly prioritizing experiences over material goods, and founders like Putnam and Walker are capitalizing on this trend by building businesses that bring people together in the same physical space.

Putnam, a former dancer, founded Board with the goal of creating shared experiences that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Walker, on the other hand, is concerned about the impact of AI on community, and Heirloom Craft aims to revive traditional skills and apprenticeships.

These businesses, from app-based communities to physical spaces for gathering, are part of a broader movement that seeks to address the loneliness epidemic through technology. It's a fascinating bet: can tech help us reconnect in the real world?