The queer social platform and sometime-dating app Lex was just purchased by 9Count, a company owned by the founder of Musical.ly.
Lex began on Instagram in 2017, where it was a tribute to sapphic personals in newspapers from days past. Users would submit personals to the page where it would get featured for all to see. However, after the app grew in popularity, it eventually became necessary for the site to become its own app. In 2019, the Lex app was released, raising over $1.5 million within its first year to fund operations.
Co-founder Jennifer Lewis said of the acquisition to TechCrunch: “What I’m passionate about at Lex is building a social platform where users can meet people like them, but also have a safe space where they can fully express their identity.”
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Lex has been shifting away from its origins as a dating service, which led to some backlash from users who felt that the app was moving away from what it should be. But fear not: a representative said that people using it should “continue horny posting” by all means.
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CEO of 9Count, Alex Hofmann, said of the acquisition on LinkedIn that he is “thrilled” to acquire the app. “This strategic move,” he said, “aligns perfectly with our mission to create authentic spaces where people can connect and belong.”