Home
Loading

aVenture is in Alpha: During this preview period, you should expect the research data to be limited and may not yet meet our exacting standards. We've made the decision to provide early access to our data to showcase the product as we build, but you should not yet rely upon it alone for your investment decisions.

aVenture is in Alpha: During this preview period, you should expect the research data to be limited and may not yet meet our exacting standards. We've made the decision to provide early access to our data to showcase the product as we build, but you should not yet rely upon it alone for your investment decisions.

Get in touch

  • Contact

  • Request a demo

  • Request data updates

  • Add a company

Research

  • Companies

  • Investors

  • People

aVenture

  • Sitemap

  • Feature requests

Member

Backed by

© aVenture Investment Company, 2026. All rights reserved.

San Francisco, CA, USA

Privacy Policy

aVenture Investment Company ("aVenture") is an independent research platform providing detailed analysis and data on startups, venture capital investments, and key industry individuals. It is not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, or investment advisor and does not provide investment advice or recommendations. The data provided by aVenture does not constitute recommendations or advice, whether by methodology, analysis, AI-generated content, or a statement written by a staff member of aVenture.

aVenture is not affiliated with any of the people, companies, organizations, government agencies, regulatory bodies, or investment funds we provide coverage for on this site unless explicitly stated otherwise. Users assume full responsibility for decisions made based on information obtained from this platform. Links to external websites do not imply endorsement or affiliation with aVenture. Any links that provide the ability to invest in a primary or secondary transaction in a company are for convenience only and do not constitute solicitations or offers to buy or sell an investment. Investors should exercise heightened precaution and due diligence when investing in private companies, especially those not independently audited.

While we strive to provide valuable insights with objectivity and professional diligence, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information provided on our platform. Before making any investment decisions, you should verify the accuracy of all pertinent details for your decision. To the fullest extent permitted by law, aVenture shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or financial damages arising from use of this site, whether by consumers of its contents directly or by persons or organizations covered by our research, even if we are advised of the possibility. Our best-efforts processes and correction request forms do not create a warranty or duty of care.

Profiles on this platform may include content generated in part by large language models (LLMs, artificial intelligence) that aggregate publicly available sources (e.g., SEC EDGAR, public filings, press releases). Source attribution is provided where known; always verify statements and claims here against original sources before relying on any data. Content on our site may contain inaccuracies, omissions, or what are commonly called 'hallucinations' if generated in part or in full by AI / LLMs. The risk can also exist even when content is written by a human, as internal and third-party sources may also have inaccuracies for the same or different reasons. While we randomly audit a proportion of content, this is not exhaustive.

We recommend that an independent auditor be hired to verify the accuracy of the information before relying on it for any sensitive decisions. By accessing this platform, you agree not to rely solely on any information generated by AI, aggregated, or sourced or written otherwise on this site, for investment, financial, or other decisions. aVenture assumes no responsibility for inaccuracies, omissions, or hallucinations. You must independently verify all data from primary sources. Use of this platform constitutes your waiver of claims for reliance-based damages, including negligent misrepresentation. To report an error, request a correction, or dispute information about a company or individual, contact us via our request data updates form.

Loading homepage
Loading
Home›Research›Companies

Companies

Loading
Home›
Research›
Companies›
gay.com
AddedFeb 15, 2024
UpdatedMay 31, 2026
gay.com

gay.com

Closed

Online chat and personals site for gay men founded in 1994.

HQ
Los Angeles, CA, US
Founded
1994
Overview
Analysis
Compare
Fundraising
Employees
News
Website

Gay.com was founded by Mark Elderkin in 1994 and launched publicly in 1996 as a Java-based chat and personals site for gay and bisexual men. In March 2000, its parent company Online Partners raised $23 million in venture funding from investors including Flatiron Partners, Chase Capital Partners, and Times Company Digital. The site became one of the most popular online gay personals destinations in the United States during the early 2000s.

In 2001, Gay.com's parent acquired PlanetOut and the two companies merged into PlanetOut Partners, which went public in 2004. The combined entity struggled financially, losing $100 million by 2008. In 2009, PlanetOut merged with Here Networks to form Here Media. In August 2016, VS Media acquired Gay.com from Here Media, but by 2017 VS Media donated the domain to the Los Angeles LGBT Center, where it now redirects.

gay.com - Similar Companies

GayTravel logo

GayTravel

gaytravel.com

Lgbtqutie.Com logo

Lgbtqutie.Com

lgbtqutie.com

GreetGay logo

GreetGay

Gaia Online logo

Gaia Online

gaiaonline.com

Hornet logo

Hornet

hornet.com

Match Group logo

Match Group

mtch.com

Plenty of Fish logo

Plenty of Fish

pof.com

GayStay logo

GayStay

Wyldfire logo

Wyldfire

wyldfireapp.com

GirlsAskGuys.com logo

GirlsAskGuys.com

girlsaskguys.com

OutNSocial logo

OutNSocial

outnsocial.com

Hookup.com logo

Hookup.com

hookup.com

FriendFinder Networks logo

FriendFinder Networks

Dating Group logo

Dating Group

dating.com

vChatter logo

vChatter

vchatter.com

gay.com - Quick Facts

Who are gay.com's competitors?

Companies similar to gay.com include GayTravel, Lgbtqutie.Com, GreetGay and Gaia Online.

When was gay.com founded?

gay.com was founded in 1994.

Where is gay.com's headquarters located?

gay.com's headquarters is located in Los Angeles, CA, US.

When was gay.com's last funding round?

gay.com's most recent funding round was for $23M (USD) in March 2000.

How much has gay.com raised to-date?

As of Mar 9, 2000, gay.com has raised a total of $23M (USD).

gay.com - Classification

Ownership
  • Private
Technology
  • Web3
Geographic Exposure
  • Global
Model
  • Platform
Revenue
  • Advertising
  • Recurring
Customer
  • Consumers
Main Product
  • Community
  • Dating
Tags
  • Community
  • SaaS
NAICS
  • 540000Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
  • 541500Computer Systems Design and Related Services
  • 541000Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
  • 541510Computer Systems Design and Related Services
  • 541511Custom Computer Programming Services
SIC
  • 7300Business Services
  • 7370Computer Programming, Data Processing, And Other Computer Related
  • 7371Computer Programming Services
Show 5 more industry codes
NAICS
  • 513200Software Publishers
  • 510000Information
  • 513000Publishing Industries
  • 513210Software Publishers
SIC
  • 7372Prepackaged Software