# Hornet

> Hornet is a queer social network and mobile app for gay, bi, trans, and queer men, built around community, content, and connection rather than pure hookups. Launched in 2011 and led by founder and CEO Christof Wittig, the company (operating as Hornet Networks / Queer Networks) has grown to more than 30 million members, positioning itself as one of the largest gay social platforms in the world and a frequently cited competitor to Grindr.

- **Founded:** 2011
- **Headquarters:** West Hollywood, California, United States
- **Founders:** Christof Wittig (Founder & CEO), Sean Howell (Co-founder / President), Mitchell Geere (Co-founder)
- **Team size:** ~67 employees
- **Products:** Hornet, Hornet Live, Hornet V9, Hornet Advertising & Brand Partnerships
- **Notable:** Grew to more than 30 million members, becoming one of the world's largest gay social networks., Raised $8M Series A in 2016 led by Ventech China - its first institutional funding., Acquired Vespa in 2016 to become the #1 gay app in several markets.

## Products & services

- **Hornet** — Flagship queer social network app for gay, bi, trans, and queer men combining chat, dating, a content feed, LGBTQ+ news, and city guides.
- **Hornet Live** — Standalone live-streaming app letting users go live in seconds and discover trending streams from queer creators nearby and worldwide, with 24/7 live moderation.
- **Hornet V9** — Major 2024 app version adding video chat and messages, video boost, private photo access management, and screenshot prevention.
- **Hornet Advertising & Brand Partnerships** — LGBTQ+ advertising and brand partnership platform reaching Hornet's global queer audience.

## Achievements

- Grew to more than 30 million members, becoming one of the world's largest gay social networks.
- Raised $8M Series A in 2016 led by Ventech China - its first institutional funding.
- Acquired Vespa in 2016 to become the #1 gay app in several markets.
- Supported same-sex marriage legalization efforts in Taiwan and activism in Russia.
- Generates 17,000+ new users per day organically.
- Launched Hornet Live and shipped V9 with video chat and enhanced privacy in 2024.

## Latest updates

- **2025-08** — Appointed three new executives: Victor Sevilla (VP of Marketing), Delfina Young (Head of Product), and Alex Siormpas (Head of Data Analytics and AI).
- **2025-01** — Kicked off Hornet Model Search 2025 in Thailand.
- **2024-11** — Released Hornet V9 with video chat, video boost, private photo access management, and screenshot prevention.
- **2024-01** — Launched Hornet Live, a standalone live-streaming app with 24/7 moderation.

## Links

- Website: https://hornet.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/hornet-networks
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/hornet
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hornet
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hornetapp/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HornetApp/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hornet

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/hornet
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-11