Gay dating apps Hornet and Blued enter global partnership
For the first time gay dating app Hornet and China-based app Blued have entered a global cooperation.
The mutually beneficial cooperation will build on funding rounds for Hornet which raised $8 million for Hornet earlier this year.
Hornet has seen rapid growth and is the number one gay social app in countries like France, Russia and Brazil.
Blued, the number one gay app in China with 27 million total users will participate in the extension of the funding round.
“Hornet has one of the most successful growth rates of all the gay social apps on today’s global market,” comments Geng Le, CEO of Blued on the partnership.
“We share a vision to bring gay apps outside of the first generation hook-up model, and into digital homes for the gay community.”
“Gay apps have always been looked upon as siloed divisions of the same global community,” adds Christof Wittig, the CEO of Hornet.
“This cooperation unites Hornet’s and Blued’s shared vision, that of our respective audiences fostering growth while extending and respecting what it means to truly be a worldwide community.”
Earlier this year, Hornet raised $8 million in funding from a venture firm in China.
The app announced that it had raised the money from venture capital fund Ventech China.
Hornet, founded in 2011, claims to be “the world’s second largest gay social network.”
In a statement, Eric Huet managing partner at Ventech, who has joined the Hornet Board, said: “The platform combined with the user functionality is unparalleled. In such a short time, Hornet has claimed leader position in many markets across the globe.”
Hornet says it has 15 million users, and three million monthly active users.
The experience is integrated into Vespa, the gay city guide.
“Gay apps have evolved over the past few years to more fully engage users, who demand a richer, mobile experience,” says Hornet president Sean Howell.
“Hornet users expect to interact with other members and to be informed about the issues important to gay culture.”
Ventech manages $225 million in funds which focus on big data, mobile commerce and communities.
Hornet earlier this year announced that it wants to do away with something that has become a staple of how you find guys online, and revolutionise app-based dating.
