BlueCity CEO Baoli Ma Named in the Debut Edition of the Gaingels 100

BEIJING, March 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Baoli Ma, the founder, chairman, and CEO of BlueCity (Nasdaq: BLCT), a world-leading LGBTQ platform that provides a full suite of services aimed at fostering connection and enhancing the well-being of its global community, has been named in the premiere edition of the Gaingels 100, an inspiring collection of LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs from around the world. He is the only mainland Chinese entrepreneur to be selected by Gaingels, a leading venture investment syndicate in service of the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies.

"I am deeply honored to receive this recognition from Gaingels and to be included among incredible luminaries that have committed their lives to creating a more inclusive world," said Ma. "Together, we are telling the world our stories and helping shatter discrimination through the language of love, empathy, and kindness. While there is still work to be done, I am proud to stand with my fellow honorees and help bring about a better world for all."

The collection includes founding stories, candid anecdotes, and accounts of successes and failures, as well as advice for future LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs who are out and proud while trying to build businesses, win investors, attract talent, and become world-class leaders.

In 2000, Ma, using the pseudonym "Geng Le", first created Danlan.org, one of the country's first online forums for gay community and the predecessor of BlueCity. Today, Blued, BlueCity's major mobile app, has grown into one of the world's most popular and influential LGBTQ social networks, connecting more than 70 million users across 170 countries and in 13 languages. Meanwhile, BlueCity provides a riche swathe of critical health services, encompassing HIV prevention and awareness, medical consultation, mental health support, and more.

In 2020, BlueCity debuted on Nasdaq, becoming the world's first LGBTQ-focused company to be listed in the era of mobile internet. Ma has also been named in Foreign Policy magazine's Top Global Thinkers list in 2017, Business Insider's 100 People Transforming Business in Asia list in 2020, and INvolve's OUTstanding 100 LGBT+ Executives list in January 2021 as the first mainland Chinese to receive the honor.

The Gaingels 100 includes many inspiring stories and firsts, including those of:

• George Arison, co-founder and CEO of Shift, the first openly gay American founder and CEO to take a company public.
• Dr. Jerrica Kirkley, co-founder and CMO of Plume, the first digital healthcare company dedicated to the transgender community.
• Kyle Robertson, co-founder and CEO of Cerebral, a fast-growing telemedicine unicorn startup company focused on mental health.
• Peter Arvai, founder of Prezi, the first openly gay CEO in Central and Eastern Europe.
• Tia Lyles-Williams, founder and CEO of LucasPye BIO, the first African-American queer woman to found and lead a large-scale biotechnology and biopharmaceutical manufacturing company.

About BlueCity

BlueCity (NASDAQ: BLCT) is a world-leading online LGBTQ community providing a comprehensive suite of services to foster connections and enhance the wellbeing of the global LGBTQ community. The company fulfills both the daily and lifelong needs of its members through a wide range of targeted and tailored services, including social networking, livestreaming and health-related services. With commitment to providing high-quality user experience, ensuring privacy protection, and promoting community health and well-being, BlueCity has captured the hearts and minds of LGBTQ people across the globe. Available in 13 languages, BlueCity's mobile app Blued has connected more than 70 million registered users in about 170 countries and regions. According to Frost and Sullivan, it is the largest online LGBTQ community in China, India, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam by MAUs in 2020.

SOURCE BlueCity Holdings Limited