Controversial ‘sugar daddy’ dating app attracts funding

In perhaps the most apt tech investment ever, a startup that made an app for sugar daddies to meet young women announced today that it has just taken cash from a rich man.

Darren Chan, CEO and founder of the controversial Sugarbook app, isn’t saying how much money is involved or who the benefactor is, but he sees it as a vote of confidence in a service that has been hit with a lot of social pushback in conservative Malaysia and Singapore.

With its “Chat. Negotiate. Meet.” catchline, the dating app doesn’t sugarcoat the transactional nature of the dates. “Enjoy generous allowances, luxurious gifts, exotic vacations, and shopping sprees across the globe,” says the website in a section labelled “sugar baby perks.”

Image credit: Tech in Asia

“When I first started, nobody had any idea what I was doing, not even my partner who lived with me under the same roof,” Chan tells Tech in Asia. “She knew I was onto something – I was interviewing at least 30 developers on a daily basis continuously for two months. It was only after a year that my family and friends found out about Sugarbook from an online media video interview that went viral.”

“But thankfully, I’m blessed to have a very supportive family that believes in my endeavor,” adds the 32-year-old founder.

A taste of honey

Chan started the website in January 2017, and an app came out about eight months later.

It proved controversial almost immediately, with Desmond Lee, Singapore’s Minister for Social and Family Development, warning that police will “keep a close eye” on the app for any evidence that it’s procuring sexual services for payment.

The government “collectively objects” to apps that “commoditize and devalue” relationships, the Minister added.

But Sugarbook is “just a social networking platform,” contends Chan. “I do not see the need for authorities to be in touch – nor have they been in touch.”

Darren Chan. Photo credit: Sugarbook

He is also defensive about the criticism, saying that Sugarbook became controversial “mainly because of how the media perceived sugar dating.” But moving forward, he thinks that his company is “in a much comfortable position to navigate through and address these misconceptions.”

He feels that people across Southeast Asia will come around to the idea of compensated dating as their understanding of the practice grows.

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