Sex Toy Startups are Becoming the New Tech Trend

By  //  February 18, 2021

The modest sex toy that has been around for centuries is now going through a massive transformation.

Sextech is a term that’s been gaining a lot of popularity over the past years. Not only are companies within this field opening a brand new chapter in technology, they’re also contributing to a social revolution.

Empowerment and the visibility of marginalized groups are turning into a primary mission for these sex toy startups.

As sextech is gaining its place among mainstream enterprises, it is beginning to attract new resources and provide opportunities for business development that were previously considered unfathomable.

Intimacy and Technology Come Together

Sex is something that humankind will always maintain a strong interest in.

With the latest changes that the world went through over the course of 2020, the adult toy industry received a massive push forward.

Numerous reports have shown that due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the social distancing/lockdown measures introduced to curb the spread of the infection, the interest in the acquisition of sex toys has gone up. The market growth for 2020 alone was 5.78 percent.

As a result, the global sex toy industry is anticipated to expand by 9.83 billion dollars in the period from 2020 to 2024.

Market demand is obviously creating new opportunities for manufacturers and startups in the field.

As interest in a particular segment grows, so does the need for innovation and the provision of advanced, modern products.

Until recently, sex toys were considered more or less unchangeable. The classic dildo has been around for millennia and the vibrator has a similarly long-established history.

Times, however, are calling for a transformation.

New technologies are allowing for more immersive, more interactive and more diversified experiences than ever before. Sextech has stepped in to provide amazing new possibilities beyond what people would have considered imaginable just a decade ago.

Sex toys are now starting to offer personalized, tailored experiences. From bendable toys that “remember” the body of their user to custom vibration/pulsation settings, users are being empowered to explore sexuality in their own way. And this is just one facet of the sextech field that could potentially prompt more openness and a much higher level of inclusiveness when it comes to intimate experiences.

Sextech and Wellness

Before they became so mainstream, sex toys were considered more of a luxury than a necessity. This is another societal perception that sex toy startups and sextech pioneers are starting to challenge.

The idea that adult sex toys should promote sexual wellbeing is something HotCherry has been advocating for quite some time.

A number of startups are now starting to put emphasis on the importance of wellness and self-care.

The concept of self-care isn’t new but the Covid-19 pandemic has once again highlighted its importance. In the absence of external stimuli, social interactions and effective coping mechanisms, many people have had to turn to alternatives for optimal mental health and personal wellbeing.

As sex toy makers are starting to feel the pulse of the market, they’re beginning to rebrand pleasure items into the ultimate type of wellness and personal exploration experience. This social phenomenon has affected the appearance, the functioning and the availability of toys. From lusty, porn-like contraptions, adult toys have now started looking a lot more approachable, even beautiful. Bright colors and velvety materials work together to completely change the old-school image of vibrators and other sex accessories.

The tech startups work alongside sexual education platforms aimed at adults.

These efforts are targeted at getting rid of societal taboos pertaining to masturbation and pleasure. While we still have a long way to go, new technologies and rebranding efforts are starting to pay off.

It’s rare to come across someone who has never used a sex toy (or who isn’t curious about trying one). In fact, some of the latest statistics suggest that one in two women use a vibrator.

It’s also good to point out that the popularity of such toys is growing among men. According to a Live Science report, 45 percent of US men questioned report incorporating a sex toy in their intimate activities (whether alone or with a partner).

It’s Time for Sextech Empowerment

Beyond the obvious benefits of giving consumers more variety and de-stigmatizing solo sex, the adult toy industry is also contributing to a significant societal shift that can potentially have a much more pronounced effect.

Pleasure and self-love are starting to turn into empowerment, especially for women and marginalized groups like the transsexual community.

Many of the new sextech startups are founded by women to specifically address the needs of under-represented societal segments.

Since 2017, the number of women founding companies within the sextech industry has been growing. This shift was so pronounced that intelligence agency JWT labeled 2017 the year of “vagina-nomics.”

For many years, sex toys have been made predominantly by male engineers and tech experts. As a result, a notion has remained unchanged for decades – to give pleasure, a sex toy needs to be phallic in shape. Sextech startups launched by women are starting to show the world the range of additional possibilities that have remained unexplored up till now.

Delicate, intuitive products that stimulate in brand-new ways without being gendered are now diversifying the field. From vibrating toys for couples to prostate massagers and suction toys, the options are limitless and the designs are much more intricate.

Since these toys are designed to have a much broader appeal, they’re further increasing the popularity of the sex toy market. Now, many more people are finding representation, no matter how they identify or what their sexual needs are.

Sexuality is not black and white and this is precisely what sextech startups are trying to demonstrate. A good sexual experience is not about penetration for many people.

Now that more young engineers and tech pioneers are shaping up the industry, the options for such individuals are beginning to gain a much more pronounced standing within the market.

Sextech Is Gaining Funding

These latest developments have helped many sextech startups secure sufficient amounts of funding for future product development and even further market expansion.

As per statistics, sextech is growing by about 30 percent on an annual basis. It’s not just about the diversity. The massive social switch since 2017 is now making it possible for startups to secure funding in ways that were not possible before.

Investors are even deciding the waive the option of remaining anonymous, showing everyone just how much more mass appeal sextech has than ever before.

Some startups report securing investment from sources that turned them down only a few years ago. While this may seem like a minor occurrence, it is demonstrative of a very important and a very pronounced societal/economic shift.

Society is now saying that sex toys are ok, that sex toys are actually needed to maintain wellbeing. The world of investors is beginning to respond to these changes, backing up an industry that was previously considered marginal.

Wellness sells and as it does, it attracts more capital to the field.

Sextech is evolving all the time. It is becoming broader, more approachable and more representative. And while it is still considered a taboo among some market segments, the conversation has already started.

We are on a journey towards better sex that has many expressions and facets. Consumers and sextech startups have put their heads together to start a revolution and the new movement is already unstoppable.