Killing Kittens, a part-government-backed UK-based sex party promoter, is raising funds to fuel its global growth and develop new ventures, including a permanent venue, cruise ship events, and a gay-focused business.
The KK Group, which operates under the Killing Kittens brand, aims to meet the growing demand for “meaningful social interaction” as society moves back to social gatherings. The company plans to “scale globally and consolidate a premium senior market with no real leader”.
Having previously headlined events in New York, Killing Kittens will once again launch their services in the city next year, with further plans to launch events in Los Angeles, Lisbon, Venice and Paris.
Co-founder Emma Sayle is looking to raise new capital from retail investors with a Seedrs crowdfunding campaign, targeting a total of £10.5 million. The funds will support the next phase of the company’s growth strategy.
The presentation also revealed that KK Group, Business Champion Awards’ business of the year growth, is in discussions to obtain additional debt financing and has explored opportunities for strategic expansion through mergers and acquisitions financiers.
The company identifies the “sexual display space” as highly fragmented, with many smaller platforms such as Feeld, Pure, and HUD competing for market share. Sayle confirmed the fundraising plans, expressing the desire to create a “larger, more open-minded ecosystem for the rest of your adult life”.
Killing Kittens has already launched a dating app called Wax, which is reportedly used by “hundreds of thousands” of people as a social media platform. The KK Group estimates that the niche “sexscape” segment of the dating market could be worth an estimated $345 million.
With over 250,000 members and over 12,000 attendees each year, the company currently generates around 90% of its revenue in the UK. This domestic focus has fueled new ambitions to expand globally.
Founded in 2005, Killing Kittens ventures into cruise ship events, with its maiden voyage scheduled for 2026. The cruise has generated £350,000 in room revenue within the first eight weeks of sales.
The group is also looking for its first dedicated venue in London to hold events, which aims to cut costs and create new sources of income. Additionally, it recently launched KK Homme, a business catering to bisexual men.
The investor presentation highlighted that KK Group is “a prime target for large companies looking to diversify their portfolio”. The company is also considering a public listing on smaller exchanges such as AIM to provide future exit opportunities to investors.
In 2022, it was revealed that Killing Kittens became part of the UK government’s Future Fund — a program designed to support Britain’s fast-growing, technology-focused startups in a time of crisis. Future Fund still holds around 1.5% shares in the company.
The Future Fund has had mixed results, with 286 of the 1,192 businesses supported being unfunded by 30 September 2024, resulting in a £241 million loss to the government. However, it also generated £76 million from the exit of 74 companies.
