Social Discovery Group invests into fast-growing chat platform for building queer communities.
Spaces, a rapidly growing platform for building queer communities, today revealed it has received additional funding from Social Discovery Group. The popular platform, which grew to more than 25,000 users and 2,500 spaces in December, continues to establish itself rapidly as the first and only queer app to span the entire LGBTQ+ spectrum. Organizing communities around topical group chats with the firm commitment to keep the members safe from harassment, discrimination, or biased algorithms prevalent on heteronormative social media, Spaces empowers every community member to find and/or build their own digital safe space with a few clicks.
Examples of newly created and thriving spaces include Gaymers, Trans Space, Tarot & Relationships, Black LGBTQ+, Queer Art, Transgender Motorcycle Riders, and AuDHD babes.
“I joined Spaces to connect with other members of the LGBTQIA+ community,” Chrissy (she/her), a trans lesbian wrote. “Since joining, I’ve found it to be a warm and inclusive safe Space… full of diverse and kind members and friends who support and inspire each other. Anyone can create their own Space and invite members to join! From personal spaces sharing our journeys, to beer lovers, to poetry, to movies and queer history… these spaces allow members of the LGBTQIA+ community to share their passions and journeys by connecting us to each other all over the world.”
The rapid and qualitative growth didn’t go unnoticed by investors, who wanted to get in on the opportunity: Social Discovery Group, a global tech company focusing on social discovery technology startups around the world, invested last week in an expansion of Queer Spaces’ initial SAFE round. Over 100 investors financed that round in crowdfunding, with the participation of the Gaingels and Mana syndicates, and high-profile tech luminaries such as Mark Suster (Upfront), Sean Rad (Tinder), and Sam Altman (OpenAI).
“The team at Social Discovery Group is excited about our commitment to Spaces, a platform whose goals and values match our own,” said Bill Alena, Chief Investment Officer of Social Discovery Group. “We are always looking for new and innovative solutions that help users make connections, build community and find meaningful relationships in a safe and respectful way. That’s exactly what Spaces does, and we couldn’t be prouder of what that means for the LGBTQ+ community.”
The funding has enabled Spaces to release a preliminary Android version in December, which was well received and will soon be updated. The main focus of the company in the current quarter will be to release Spaces Version 2.0, which will do a better job of matching the now way too many spaces, chat topics, and users on the app through relevant interests with a newly designed home screen, improved algorithms, and the introduction of topical chat breakouts within each space.
The SAFE round funding enabled Spaces to release a preliminary Android version in December, which was well received. The additional funding will help the company release Version 2.0 of Spaces, which will offer a more streamlined way of matching users with its ever-growing lineup of new spaces, chat topics, and users. The new functionality will connect users with relevant interests via a newly designed home screen, improved algorithms, and the introduction of topical chat breakouts within each space.
SPACES can be downloaded for iOS here and on the Google Play Store here.
About Social Discovery Group
Founded in 1993, Social Discovery Group (formerly SDVentures) is a global tech company uniting 40+ brands, an investment fund, and a venture studio. SDGroup is comprised of leading social discovery companies focused on solving the problem of loneliness, isolation, and disconnection with the help of digital reality. SDGroup has offices across five continents and a team of more than 700 professionals serving 250+ million users across 100 countries.
