VCs Starting To Figure Out There's Money In Online Sex Businesses

from the what-took-you-so-long dept

While venture capital funds have flowed into all sorts of internet-related businesses, they've largely ignored adult-oriented ones, despite the opportunities that market offers. But, the IHT reports, that may be starting to change as VCs get over the stigma of investing in porn companies or other adult-related businesses. While some people say "investment tastes" may be changing, it seems more likely that the VCs' need to find good deals is trumping their moral objections or comfort levels, as they face increasing competition for deals and growing displeasure from their backers about mediocre returns on their investments. On these fronts, sexually oriented businesses are a winner, since relatively few firms want to invest in them, while the market for adult content and other products and services can be a money-spinner. Still, it's early days, and many VCs (or the limited partners who back them) don't want to invest in porn or other sex businesses -- but it looks like that resistance may be lessening as the desire for cash wins out.
Hide this

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

Filed Under: porn, vc


Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread


  • identicon
    Bornis Henley, 30 Jul 2007 @ 2:39am

    Just what we need. More internet porn. I'd like to see the sticky mess these VCs get into when that particular bubble bursts....

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Phil MacCrevice, 30 Jul 2007 @ 4:29am

    I see nothing wrong with this, as long as they invest safely and take care not to blow their wads too quickly. A slow, steady buildup should guarantee maximum payload in the end.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Sanguine Dream, 30 Jul 2007 @ 5:23am

    No suprise...

    The desire for cash winning out over morality? In the corporate world this should not surprise anyone.

    And a special LOL at comment #2.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Dirk Diggler, 30 Jul 2007 @ 5:59am

    Aggressive thrusting...

    It's about time these namby-pamby venture capitalists showed some genitals and chose to penetrate this engorged market aggressively. If they time their thrusts just right, they're sure to create overflowing returns.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Witty Nickname, 30 Jul 2007 @ 6:01am

    My Prediction

    This market will explode rather quickly, then end just as quickly as it started while this may please the Adult Industry the VCs will leave unfullfilled and disappointed.

    Next thing you know the VCs will give birth to another industry.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Border, 30 Jul 2007 @ 7:26am

    Too many puns

    That is a lot of puns. I don't think that investing in something like porn is a bad idea. Just because it isn't "Child oriented". Adults, moral or not, should feel free to enjoy porn. It is the same with alcohol or anything else, used responsibly and in a safe environment (husband and wife's bed room) it is erfecetly fine.
    The moral majority who turn their nose up at porn are just repressed. I don't see anything wrong with porn at all, business venture or otherwise.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Casper, 30 Jul 2007 @ 7:35am

    Wow...

    All I can saw is wow. The are an overwhelming number of puns for this topic, but I think we have plenty posted already.

    In all seriousness, I don't see a problem with it. Investments are investments. The industry is real, it's lucrative, and it's legal. Besides, if you are looking for a stable business model, this industry has been around for centuries.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Ravi, 30 Jul 2007 @ 8:17am

    Wow..me too

    Ladies and Gentlemen, fasten your seat belts.
    Get ready for the Porn-ogle 1.0!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jul 2007 @ 6:46pm

    In the end, I don't think that many adult companies will want to give up control to the degree the VCs will want.

    It will take the VCs a long time to understand the unique culture of the industry. These companies usually have many business arrangements with their competitors, to a degree unknown in the mainstream business world; and unlike in mainstream, these deals are often sealed by a handshake. Further, these arrangements start, stop and change rapidly as conditions change.

    Not the sort of conditions that make outside investors comfortable.

    The mistake many people make is, seeing the big bucks in adult, and not understanding the industry.

    "Hey! If they can do it, so can I."

    Been there - done that for a few years. It's not true about any business and not true about adult.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Curious Investor, 23 Jan 2009 @ 11:42am

    AdultVest.com is a good example

    Look at www.adultvest.com
    They've been around for a little over two years and they seem to be on track. They just launched a site called www.iporn.com in beta and report that they had over 5,000 visits in their first two days even though they haven't made any announements to the public about the site being launched. iPorn.com looks like a winner, I just wish I had the money to invest. Stock market wiped me out.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


Follow Techdirt
Essential Reading
Techdirt Deals
Report this ad  |  Hide Techdirt ads
Techdirt Insider Discord

The latest chatter on the Techdirt Insider Discord channel...

Loading...
Recent Stories

This site, like most other sites on the web, uses cookies. For more information, see our privacy policy. Got it
Close

Email This

This feature is only available to registered users. Register or sign in to use it.