TechCrunch Startup News An investor makes a case for funding sex, drugs and other socially taboo products
Jun 10, 2025
Impact investor Christian Tooley challenges societal norms by advocating for funding in taboo sectors like sex and psychedelics. He questions the restrictions placed on venture investments and highlights the potential for innovation in these overlooked markets. The discussion emphasizes the need for progressive investors to rethink traditional prudence and consider the profitable opportunities in vice investing.
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Investment Limits from Vice Clauses
- Vice clauses limit investments in industries like sex tech, drugs, and gambling due to social stigma.
- This misses opportunities for financial, cultural, and systemic innovation in these high-potential sectors.
Backing Taboo Sector Startups
- Christian Tooley supports companies like Polari Labs and Link that improve sexual health and safer communication.
- These investments exemplify successful ventures in socially taboo sectors overcoming stigma.
Risks Challenge Institutional Investors
- Legal and reputational risks deter large institutional investors from vice investments like OnlyFans and cannabis.
- Smaller LPs and progressive funds can exploit these underfunded markets for better returns and impact.