Lex, a social and dating app for the LGBTQ+ community, has been acquired by 9count, a mobile app conglomerate focused on social networking.
Lex started as an Instagram page in 2017, inspired by vintage lesbian personal ads. The page became so popular that founder Kel Rakowski turned it into an app in 2019. In less than a year, the app raised a $1.5 million seed round and added experienced entrepreneur Jennifer Lewis as co-founder and CEO.
“Mainstream social platforms aren't really serving this audience,” Lewis told TechCrunch. According to GLAAD, LGBTQ+ people are twice as likely to be harassed online, making more intentional gay-friendly online spaces necessary. “My passion at Lex is building a social platform where users can meet people like themselves while also having a safe space to fully express their identities. .”
Lex users have high standards for the app because it serves communities that have historically been ignored and mistreated by mainstream social platforms. Last year, the app was rebranded to emphasize general interaction over dating and hookups, leading some users to worry that Rex was becoming too sterile. As one user told TechCrunch at the time, “There's no need to encourage 'social' use unless you're trying to discuss other uses (i.e. sex).”
With Lex joining 9count, users may be concerned about further changes to the app. But Lewis said the move will allow Lex to release new features more quickly and increase its content management capabilities. “We are now able to ship new features probably three times faster than before the acquisition,” she said.
9count is led by Alex Hofmann, the former CEO of Musical.ly, the app that was acquired by ByteDance and became TikTok. The conglomerate's most popular app is Wink, another dating and friendship app, but it also operates other apps such as Summer, a dating app.
Hoffman wants 9count to reflect his experience with ByteDance, which had multiple apps under one company umbrella. “The first time we had a conversation, it was immediately clear that we really shared the same vision,” Hoffman said. “The vision is essentially that the future of social media is not about building this one big product that chases billions of users with ads, the future is vertical social networks that empower communities. It means I believe.”
According to Lex, the app has been downloaded more than 1 million times, which is low compared to mainstream dating apps, but Lex is targeting a small audience, with users receiving monthly Sending millions of messages. Mr. Hoffman and Mr. Lewis declined to disclose the terms of the deal.