Bryony Cole on Sex Tech, Self-Discovery, and the Future of Intimacy

Win $2,000 in credits with the Day One Network — take our 2-minute audience survey before 30 June: dayone.fm/surveyEpisode SummaryBryony Cole is the founder of Future of Sex and Sex Tech School, and a global authority on the intersection of sexuality and technology. In this episode, she shares how she left a career in corporate tech to build the sex tech industry from the ground up.She opens up about the personal rebellion that drove her early experiments, from living in a forest commune to launching a podcast that evolved into a movement. Bryony unpacks what it really took to pioneer a taboo space – from getting censored and locked out of banks, to renting out her apartment to fund live events.The conversation also explores how AI, loneliness, and digital saturation are reshaping intimacy and identity. Bryony shares her view on what’s coming next – not just in sex tech, but in how people relate to themselves, each other, and the tools around them. She calls it the “Future of Self.”For founders building against the grain, creators navigating cultural friction, or anyone questioning what connection looks like in a hyper-digital world, this is an episode full of clarity, conviction, and originality.Time Stamps03:12 – Why Bryony left Microsoft to explore the edge of sex and tech07:30 – From commune living to global stages: Breaking the “good girl” mold12:50 – Creating an industry brick by brick (and Airbnb’ing her place to fund it)18:40 – Show your work: What creative momentum really looks like25:10 – Launching Sex Tech School and building a global founder community32:40 – Startup hacks: Overcoming censorship, banking blocks, and stigma39:00 – Sex tech vs. adult: Rebranding the category and gaining legitimacy43:12 – Deepfakes, AI porn, and the loneliness epidemic51:00 – Dating the algorithm: AI companions and emotional outsourcing59:40 – Future of sex, future of self: The coming shift in intimacy and identity01:08:12 – Burnout at 26: What it reveals about modern culture01:14:00 – From scale-at-all-costs to self-integration: Rethinking founder culture01:16:30 – Through-topia, not utopia: What’s next for humans and tech01:20:15 – The next podcast? Bryony names it on the spotResources👩‍💻 Bryony Cole’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryonycole/🎙 Future of Sex - https://futureofsex.com/🌐 Sex Tech School - https://www.sextechschool.com/Sponsors:Perspective X is supported by our wonderful sponsors:Deel:Global hiring and payroll can be a headache. Deel brings HR, IT and payroll together in one platform, helping companies including Shopify, Revolut and ElevenLabs scale internationally.Ready to expand your business?Build your global team with Deel at deel.com/dayone.Perspective X is part of Day One.Day One helps founders and startup operators make better business decisions more often. To learn more, join our newsletter to be notified of new Perspective X episodes and upcoming shows.Mentioned in this episode:Deel x PX_Script 1Mighty Partners_PX_May 2025Vanta_PX_May 2025