Activ8

Name

Activ8

Legal name

Activ8株式会社

Website

https://activ8.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Virtual Entertainment Production

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (51211), Postproduction Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Industries (51219), Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Virtual Influencers, VTubers & Avatar/Face-Tracking (Gaming Creators) (MPAFAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Motion Capture & Performance Capture (Body/Face, Cleanup, Retargeting) (MPADAHAC), Outsourced Art/Audio Production Services (2D/3D, Animation, VFX, Audio/VO) (MPAFAKAM), Activation/Experiential Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAO)

Keywords

• Virtual live production
• 3D avatar creation
• Motion capture services
• Metaverse entertainment
• XR content production

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. IP Production Services: Producing, planning, and managing IP for company-owned and client IPs. Revenue derived from project-based fees for IP development, planning, and operation services.
2. XR Advertising Agency: Advertising agency services in the XR field with media mix production focusing on XR. Revenue from campaign-based advertising and promotional content creation.
3. Virtual Production: Production of virtual live performances and 3D avatar models, along with development and operation of virtual live streaming systems. Revenue from content production fees, live event production, and technology licensing.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Activ8 is a virtual IP production company that produces virtual live events, 3D avatar content, and XR/metaverse experiences for enterprise clients in the entertainment, anime, and music industries. The company operates a proprietary motion capture studio equipped with 28 Vicon Vantage cameras enabling 5-person simultaneous capture, and delivers end-to-end production services including motion capture recording, 3D avatar modeling, virtual live streaming, and metaverse event production. It also provides VTuber planning and operation, IP virtualization, and hybrid promotion services combining real and virtual entertainment.

Product overview

Activ8 is a Japanese virtual IP production company operating a platform-plus-services model centered on metaverse entertainment. The core offerings include Virtual Live Production, 3D Avatar Production, Metaverse/XR Development, and Motion Capture services—all unified under the company's XR Production and IP Virtualize divisions. Supporting services include Hybrid Promotion (sponsor/tie-up and casting) and VTuber planning and operation. The company also holds notable projects like the Kizuna AI live concert series, ONE PIECE FILM RED 'Uta' 3DCG production, and joint ventures ANNIN (character talent agency with Asob System) and W KAWAII (dual-world idol group with Asob System and Pony Canyon). Recent innovations include AI Digital Signage using edge AI cameras for audience analytics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Virtual Live Production End-to-end production of virtual concerts and live events featuring 3D avatars and virtual talents, combining motion capture, real-time rendering, and online streaming technologies for both VR platforms (VRChat, αU metaverse, Oculus Venues) and hybrid real/virtual events for enterprise clients.
• 3D Avatar Production Creation of high-detail 3DCG character models for virtual talents, anime characters, and artists, including character design translation from 2D to 3D and animation production using motion capture. Used by IP holders to virtualize characters and brands.
• Metaverse/XR Development Development of metaverse spaces and XR experiences, including virtual event production for platforms like VRChat, αU metaverse, and Oculus Venues. Capabilities derived from the 2023 business integration with Synamon add metaverse/XR technical development strength.
• Motion Capture Services Professional motion capture services using Activ8's proprietary studio equipped with 28 VICON Vantage cameras enabling 5-person simultaneous recording. Supports dance performances, musical instrument playing, and parkour animations. MVN (Xsens) system used for cost-effective on-location capture.
• VTuber Planning and Operation Planning, development, and operation support for virtual YouTubers and virtual talents, including IP creation and monetization strategies. Activ8's wholly-owned subsidiary Kizuna AI Corporation operates VTuber production and management activities.
• IP Virtualize

Quantifiable outcome

• 130,000+ concurrent viewers for Kizuna AI The Last Live, with 1,820 virtual talents as guest performers
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• KDDIcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 March 2025KDDI engaged Activ8 for MWC Barcelona 2025 booth production. Activ8 creates virtual reception and AI Digital Signage content using KDDI's transparency displays and edge AI cameras. Activ8's subsidiary Kizuna AI serves as KDDI ambassador '#kzn'.
• Pony Canyon USA Inc.flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2024Three-way joint venture with Asobystem and Pony Canyon USA for 'W KAWAII' project creating idol group pursuing both real and virtual global success. Roles: Asobystem (talent discovery/real production), Activ8 (IP development/virtual production), Pony Canyon (music production/promotion).
• SynamoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2023Activ8 and Synamon completed a business integration in May 2023. The merger combines Activ8's IP production capabilities with Synamon's metaverse/XR development technology to create innovation in the entertainment industry.
• Alleles Production CommitteecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 May 2023Provided technical support for anime 'Kizuna no Ariril' including 3D model creation, virtual performance technical support, and motion capture recording for YouTube 'Arils Project' content.
• Bandai Namco Entertainment (バンダイナムコエンターテインメント)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2023Production partner for PROJECT IM@S vα-liv. Activ8 contributes high-function studio and creative team expertise in virtual character IP real-time content production.
• KDDI (αU metaverse)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 March 2023Activ8 produced 'balallel-meta-Party' on KDDI's αU metaverse platform, showcasing virtual live production capabilities on telecom metaverse infrastructure.
• Asobystem (アソビシステム)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2022Established character talent agency 'ANNIN' together with Asobystem to produce global next-generation character talents that bridge real and virtual entertainment. Activ8 contributes virtual IP development while Asobystem handles real talent management.
• Avatar Symbiosis Society Project (Nagoya Institute of Technology / Osaka University)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2022Co-developed official 2D-CG avatar 'Giner' for Avatar Symbiosis Society project (Nagoya Institute of Technology and Osaka University) under Japan's Moonshot R&D program. Provided anime-style CG avatar design expertise.
• Kizuna AI株式会社coreOthersActiv8's subsidiary company that operates Kizuna AI and related virtual talents. Conducts Vtuber auditions (V no Mezame), provides university lectures, and produces new virtual talent content. Strategic subsidiary for virtual talent IP management.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cover Corp: Cover Corp operates Hololive Production, Japan's largest VTuber agency. Cover competes directly with Activ8 for VTuber talent production, virtual live event production, and enterprise IP partnerships in the Japanese virtual entertainment market.
• ANYCOLOR Inc. ANYCOLOR operates the Nijisanji VTuber project, one of Japan's leading VTuber agencies. ANYCOLOR directly competes with Activ8 in virtual talent management, virtual live production, and 3D avatar operations.
• Brave Group: Brave Group operates multiple VTuber projects and virtual entertainment IP in Japan, overlapping with Activ8's VTuber planning and operation services and metaverse production offerings.
• HIKKY Co., Ltd. HIKKY is a Japanese VR/VTuber-focused company that develops virtual event platforms and produces virtual entertainment content, directly comparable to Activ8's metaverse production and virtual live production services.
• SANZIGEN: SANZIGEN is a Japanese 3DCG animation studio with proprietary production technology that overlaps with Activ8's 3D avatar production and virtual content creation capabilities, including virtual live and anime productions.

Broad incumbents

• Polygon Pictures: Polygon Pictures is a long-established Japanese CG animation and VFX studio producing film, TV, and digital content. It competes broadly with Activ8 for anime and entertainment production clients, though with a much wider portfolio beyond virtual entertainment.
• MAPPA: MAPPA is a leading Japanese animation studio producing anime and digital content. While not specialized in virtual entertainment like Activ8, it competes for talent, premium IP relationships, and enterprise production budgets in the Japanese entertainment market.
• WIT Studio: WIT Studio is a major Japanese animation studio (Spy x Family, Attack on Titan) that operates in the same premium anime IP ecosystem where Activ8 produces virtual events and 3DCG characters, making it a comparable production-scale competitor.
• Production I.G: Production I.G is a long-established Japanese animation studio with capabilities across animation and digital production. It represents the broader incumbent production community that Activ8 competes against for premium IP partnerships and production talent.

Emerging players

• LATEGRA: LATEGRA is a Japanese CG/VFX and virtual production company with capabilities overlapping Activ8's motion capture and virtual production services, particularly for film, TV, and metaverse content.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/activ8_pr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors7 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Activ8