Launched in 2007, Zivity.com uses social-networking tools to let models (adult and otherwise) share their images with a larger user base that votes on their attractiveness. Registered users must subscribe to the site to be able to vote, and about 40 percent of the site's revenue goes to the models.
The site's founders managed to draw about $8 million in support from two venture capital firms, Founders Fund and BlueRun Ventures, both of which had only supported mainstream projects before. Founders Fund was an early investor in social networking goliath Facebook.com. Both companies have invested in the photo-sharing network Slide.com.
But this week, the site's founders redirected the majority of its assets, money and staff into another website, a mainstream celebrity fan portal called TopFans.com.
The split breaks down like this: Zivity co-founder Cyan Banister will become the sole CEO of Zivity, with two employees and a share of the company's remaining $4 million. Jon Elvekrog, Zivity's former CEO, will become the CEO of TopFans, taking seven employees with him.
Despite the grim moves, Zivity remains active, with an Alexa rating of 92,960. The company originally projected a launch sometime in 2009, and the site is live and still accepting both trial and full membership signups.
Leading tech analyst Michael Arrington speculated that the split came from a rift among the senior staff.
"The founding team still believes strongly in the original vision," he said. "The newer execs and investors were pushing for the fan pages. The exodus of the founders was the likely outcome, but investors and senior employees worked to split the companies to pursue their separate destinies instead."