UTAITE Inc., a market-leading 2.5D IP agency in Japan, has raised $55M in Series B funding.

Funding Amount：7.7 billion JPY (55 million USD)

Funding Methods：Third-Party Allocation of Shares and Bank Loans

Participants in UTAITE’s Series B round：

<New Investors>

• ・Tencent
• ・Development Bank of Japan Inc.
• ・SBVA (ex-SoftBank Ventures Asia)
• ・Japan Post Investment Corporation
• ・Japan Post Insurance NEXT Partners Co.,Ltd.
• ・SMBC Nikko Securities Inc.
• ・TBS Innovation Partners
• ・Shizuoka Capital Company Limited
• ・SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS INC.
• ・Shochiku Ventures, Inc.
• ・Yostar, Inc.
• 
  

<Existing Investors>

• ・Sony Innovation Fund
• ・Tycoon Capital
• ・GLOBIS CAPITAL PARTNERS Co., Ltd.
• ・Z Venture Capital
• ・Gogin Skyland Next Fund
• ・DIMENSION, Inc.
• ・MIXI, Inc.
• ・Mitsubishi UFJ Capital Co., Ltd.
• ・Maezawa Fund
• ・Dentsu Ventures
• ・Bandai Namco Entertainment 021 Fund
• ・BRICKS FUND TOKYO(Established by Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd)
• 
  

<Banks>

• ・The Hokkoku Bank, Ltd.
• ・The Shizuoka Bank, Ltd.

・Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation

UTAITE Inc., established in December 2022, is an entertainment startup specializing in the development and operation of 2.5D IP content. The company is guided by its mission: “Sparkle your Heart, to the World.” Rooted in Japan's dynamic entertainment sector, UTAITE Inc. is poised for global expansion. This recent funding will be strategically utilized to secure premier talent and strengthen the company's organizational framework, thereby driving further business growth. As a key component of its growth strategy, UTAITE Inc. will accelerate its international market development, continuing to explore new frontiers in entertainment. 

2.5D IP represents an innovative fusion in entertainment, where the appeal of anime-style virtual characters (2D) is combined with the dynamism of real-life artist performances (3D). This hybrid model allows performers to connect with fans globally as illustrated digital avatars during online streams and interactive events, while also stepping onto physical stages for concerts and other live appearances. The result is a uniquely engaging fan experience that seamlessly blends the digital and physical realms.

Many of Japan's top performers today are 2.5D performers, often referred to as “Utaite” (歌い手, meaning "singer"), dominating the entertainment scene. Especially among teens, 2.5D “Utaite” performers consistently rank at the top of fan rankings, particularly among those in their 10s.

Leveraging their substantial and passionate Japanese fanbase, Utaite and the 2.5D IP model they exemplify hold strong promise for expansion into international markets and various cross-media ventures.

Tencent Investment
Shujitsu Kaku, Investment Director
We are impressed by UTAITE’s innovative 2.5D IP product and very experienced management team. As a long term investor, we are pleased to join UTAITE’s series B fundraising and committed to support its development not only in Japan, but also in the global entertainment industry.
 

Development Bank of Japan Inc.
Kazuhiro Ikeda, Vice President
We are truly delighted to be working with UTAITE, a company that is building a robust platform to support artists and drive the growth of the emerging cultural phenomenon known as “2.5D.” Japanese content is gaining increasing attention from global audiences, and the export value of the content industry now rivals that of traditional key sectors such as steel and semiconductors. We are fully committed to supporting UTAITE’s bold endeavor to bring Japan’s unique “2.5D” culture to the world stage, leveraging the country’s creative strengths. 

SBVA
Jin Park, Principal
Alex Lee, Associate
We were inspired by UTAITE’s visionary leadership team, seasoned through multiple successful M&A experiences, complemented by core leaders previously holding key management roles in leading 2D & 2.5D IP content enterprises. We strongly believe in their capability to create IP that seamlessly targets 2.5D markets, integrating and expanding their presence across the broader 2D market as well. This confidence drove SBVA’s decision to select UTAITE as our inaugural investment in Japan. It is an honor for us to continuously support UTAITE’s growth, not just in Japan but also in Korea and on a global scale. 

Japan Post Investment Corporation
Takuma Baba, Managing Director, Head of Venture Growth Investments
We were drawn to the experienced and well-balanced management team led by CEO Kurata, as well as the company’s strong potential to lead global expansion in the entertainment industry from Japan. We are excited to be part of UTAITE’s journey as it breaks new ground in 2.5D entertainment culture, and we look forward to supporting its continued growth and bold ambitions. 

Japan Post Insurance NEXT Partners Co.,Ltd.
Masato Endo, Senior Director
We were captivated by UTAITE’s inspiring business vision, the remarkable speed at which each piece of the puzzle is falling into place, and the ever-elevating perspective they bring to the table. In an
entertainment industry undergoing rapid transformation, UTAITE’s bold challenge—to blend emerging talent with 2.5D content and deliver emotional impact to the world—resonates deeply with us. In line with our fund’s vision, “THE NEXT STEP, NEXT TO YOU,” we are committed to standing alongside UTAITE as they take on this ambitious journey. 

SMBC Nikko Securities Inc.
Kosuke Nakanishi, Managing Director, Head of Merchant Banking Dept.
Chiharu Yamagami, Merchant Banking Dept.
We are impressed with UTAITE’s bold challenge in the rapidly growing entertainment industry. UTAITE creates new-generation content originating from Japan and delivers to fans around the globe. We look forward to seeing UTAITE’s further growth through the expansion of innovative 2.5D IPs on its vision of “Sparkle your Heart, to the World”.

TBS Innovation Partners
Naoki Nishikawa, Managing Partner
We are truly excited to collaborate with UTAITE Inc., a rapidly growing force in the burgeoning “2.5D” entertainment sector - one of Japan’s most globally admired industries. By combining our extensive media assets, including television and radio, as well as a diverse range of content spanning live-action to animation, we are looking forward to co-creating new types of entertainment with UTAITE Inc. 

Shizuoka Capital Company Limited
Akihiro Nishio, Executive Officer, Head of Startup Investment
We are delighted to be working with UTAITE, Inc. With the spread of the Internet, a new culture is taking root and growing in Japan. We are convinced that UTAITE is truly a pioneer of this era. Shizuoka Capital will do its utmost to support the company by utilizing its comprehensive regional financial group network. 

SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS INC.
Toshihisa Kiyomiya, Director, Investment Management Department
Aoi Narita, Investment Management Department
We were deeply impressed by UTAITE’s unique perspective and strong leadership, which enabled them to quickly establish a leading presence in the emerging field of 2.5D entertainment. As a major player in the entertainment industry, SEGA SAMMY Group is excited to grow alongside UTAITE — constantly creating and forever captivating, together. 

Shochiku Ventures, Inc.
Takahiro Inoue, President & CEO
2.5D IPs, which engage with fans through daily content and livestreams while delivering powerful,
intimate experiences through live performances, are a form of Japanese entertainment with exceptionally high emotional resonance and global potential. We are truly excited to collaborate with UTAITE,
a company capable of developing reproducible IPs and driving momentum across the industry, as we explore the future of entertainment together. We are fully committed to supporting UTAITE and working alongside them to create and share world-class content with audiences around the globe. 

Yostar, Inc.
Hengda Li, President & CEO
We made the decision to invest in UTAITE because we strongly resonate with their mission to "move fans emotionally together with creators." I am confident that our shared approach to content will have a positive influence on each other. It is an honor to be in a position where we can support both UTAITE and its creators together with the fans. 

Masashi Kurata, CEO of UTAITE
We are delighted to have the continued support from our existing investors and to welcome new investors who believe in our team and resonate with our mid-to-long-term vision.　Together, we will strive to further expand Japan's iconic cultural phenomenon, "2.5D IP," and united as a team, we aim to take on the global market by establishing a new Japanese entertainment economy. 

Kazuhide Shiraishi, COO of UTAITE
We sincerely appreciate the continued support from our existing investors since our founding, and we are honored to welcome distinguished new investors from both Japan and abroad. Looking ahead, we will strengthen our efforts in recruitment, global expansion, and strategic partnerships to accelerate our next phase of growth. With a focus on creating innovative “2.5D IP” from Japan, we are committed to driving transformative growth and delivering compelling experiences to audiences around the world. 

Mao Zitong, CFO of UTAITE
This funding round has established a solid financial foundation to further accelerate our growth strategy and global expansion. We are deeply grateful to welcome our new investors and sincerely appreciate the continued support from our existing investors. In this round, we are honored to have Tencent, one of the world’s leading entertainment investors, as our lead investor, along with support from the Development Bank of Japan and a landmark first investment in Japan from SBVA. UTAITE will continue to drive the creation of world-class 2.5D IP from Japan and further accelerate its expansion into global markets. 

Company Name: UTAITE Inc. (https://utaite.co.jp)

CEO: Masashi Kurata

Established: December 28, 2022

Business Description: Development and operation of 2.5D IPs

Head Office: 18F, Shinjuku Sumitomo Building, 2-6-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan