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Let’s Talk About Sex(tech) (Part 2) | Trends by The Hustle
Two weeks ago, in part 1 of our series, we showed that sexual wellness is an underfunded industry with tons of potential.
Sextech — which has evolved from a male-centric vice industry to a female-centric wellness business — is here to enhance everything from pleasure to medicine.
In 2020 alone, there were 36m+ connected sextech devices — up 87% YoY. The sexual wellness market is expected to double over the next 5 years, from $62B today to $125B by 2026.
Let’s Talk About Sex(tech) (Part 1) | Trends by The Hustle
Sexual wellness is an underfunded industry that is set to explode as sexual taboos continue to lift.
Sextech — which has evolved from a male-centric vice industry to a female-centric wellness business — is here to enhance everything from pleasure to medicine.
Key Takeaways
- Consumer demand is surging: There were 36m+ connected sextech devices in use globally last year, representing 87% YoY growth.
- The market for connected devices alone is expected to more than double over the next 5 years to reach $9B.
- Sextech goes far beyond toys. It’s set to disrupt all areas of the sexual wellness space, from health to education.
- The wider industry of sexual wellness, which is now worth $62B, is forecast to exceed $125B by 2026.
- The stigma surrounding sex means that investors are still jittery about the space — but sex is a universal human experience, and one of the biggest markets there is.
- The sex-positive movement is driving change and lifting taboos; industry veterans believe we are on the cusp of a surge in funding.
- No clear market leader is producing flawless connected devices, leaving the high-tech industry wide open — both for sextech innovators and entrepreneurs with tech expertise.
- We spoke with a Trendster who is leveraging opportunities in the sexual hygiene and personal care space.
- The US sextech market is still largely offline, leading to attractive ecommerce opportunities.
- Prioritizing security and the digital privacy of users will be key to fulfilling sextech’s potential.
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Introduction
When you first hear the term “sextech,” you probably think of Tinder, VR pornography, or even sex robots. And while you’re not wrong (meet Harmony), that’s also not the full picture.
Esports: The Rise of the Next Behemoth in Competitive Sports | Trends by The Hustle
The esports market is booming. League of Legends, the most popular esport, broadcast a world final that drew more viewers than the Super Bowl in 2018. Last year the event was hosted in Paris, and tickets sold out within seconds.
With prize pools of $34m+, esports stars can walk away from tournaments with more money than Wimbledon singles champions.
Esports already has a larger audience than American football and rugby combined and is set to generate more revenue than both the UEFA Champions League and Formula 1 by 2022.