BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment (021 Fund)

What BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment (021 Fund) does

Bandai Namco Entertainment 021 Fund is the corporate venture capital arm of Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc., established in April 2022 and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The fund invests in early- to growth-stage startups shaping the future of entertainment, with three stated pillars: creating original IPs using unique technology, expanding Bandai Namco IP globally through emerging markets and strategic partnerships, and delivering new fan entertainment experiences. Portfolio companies span blockchain fan economies (Gaudiy, doublejump.tokyo), avatar technology (Genies), AI motion generation (DeepMotion), AI moderation (GGWP), UGC gaming (Look North World), live streaming (Mirrativ), in-game advertising (Anzu VR), short-form anime IP (Plott), VTuber production (Million Production), and regional gaming platforms (SuperGaming in India, STAN in India), totaling 21+ disclosed investments across Japan, the US, India, Israel, Korea, and broader Europe as of mid-2025.

The fund operates as a strategic minority investor with check sizes implied at USD 1-5M per round, frequently co-investing with strategic partners (Sony Music, Sanrio) and financial investors (Mitsubishi UFJ Innovation Partners, Mizuho Capital). Its core differentiator is non-financial: portfolio companies gain access to Bandai Namco's deep IP library (Gundam, Pac-Man, Dragon Ball), global distribution network, and parent-company ecosystem spanning games, anime, toys, and media. The team of approximately 10 members includes Japan-based investment professionals with backgrounds in M&A, telecom asset management, and Bandai Namco internal operations, plus regional representatives in Southern California (Karim Farghaly, SVP Corporate Development at BNEA) and Europe (Jérôme Dureau at Bandai Namco Europe), enabling cross-border deal sourcing and portfolio support.

The fund's revenue mechanics are typical of a CVC: capital appreciation through equity stakes, augmented by strategic value created via Bandai Namco ecosystem integration rather than management fees or carried interest realization disclosed publicly. The fund size was expanded in June 2025 to accelerate new IP creation and business development. As a wholly-owned CVC subsidiary, financial returns flow to the parent Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc., which is part of the larger Bandai Namco Group conglomerate. There is no public disclosure of fund AUM, management fees, or realized exits.

Name

BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment (021 Fund)

Legal name

Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.

Website

https://021fund.bn-ent.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bandai Namco Entertainment 021 Fund is the corporate venture capital arm of Bandai Namco Entertainment, investing globally in entertainment-tech startups that create IP, expand IP globally, and deliver new fan experiences across gaming, blockchain, AI, UGC, and creator platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Corporate Venture Capital

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Other Financial Investment Activities (5239), Miscellaneous Financial Investment Activities (523999)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Captive CVC Fund (Dedicated corporate fund structure) (FSANAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) (FSANAAAF), Corporate Strategic Partnership & Ecosystem Investment Arms (FSANAHAF), Corporate Innovation & Technology Scouting Units (with investment mandate) (FSANAHAI)

Keywords

• Corporate venture capital
• Entertainment startup investments
• Venture capital fund
• IP metaverse investing
• Entertainment technology funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Corporate Venture Capital Returns: The 021 Fund generates returns through equity investments in entertainment-tech startups, expecting capital appreciation and strategic value creation through portfolio companies that advance Bandai Namco's IP metaverse vision.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bandai Namco Entertainment 021 Fund is a Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) fund established by Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. in April 2022 that invests equity in entertainment-tech startups globally. The fund focuses on three investment pillars: creating original IPs through unique technology and fresh ideas, expanding IP globally through emerging markets and strategic partnerships, and delivering new entertainment experiences to fans worldwide. Portfolio investments span blockchain gaming, avatar technology, UGC platforms, AI motion capture, live streaming, and fan community services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bandai Namco Entertainment 021 Fund A Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) fund operated by Bandai Namco Entertainment that invests in startups shaping the future of entertainment. The fund focuses on creating original IPs, growing IP globally, and connecting fans with entertainment experiences through strategic equity investments in gaming, blockchain, social platforms, and emerging entertainment technologies.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Sega Sammy HoldingsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 November 2023Participated in a panel discussion at the 021 Fund's Tokyo Game Show side event, along with Sony Ventures and Square Enix Holdings, on startup investment in the entertainment industry.
• Sony VenturesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 November 2023Participated in a panel discussion at the 021 Fund's Tokyo Game Show side event, along with Sega Sammy Holdings and Square Enix Holdings, on startup investment in the entertainment industry.
• Square Enix HoldingsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 November 2023Participated in a panel discussion at the 021 Fund's Tokyo Game Show side event, along with Sega Sammy Holdings and Sony Ventures, on startup investment in the entertainment industry.
• Arriba Studio Pte. Ltd.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 August 2022Participated alongside the 021 Fund and doublejump Ventures as judges at a game pitch event in Seoul, Korea, organized by Oasys to support local blockchain game developers.
• doublejump VenturesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 August 2022Participated alongside the 021 Fund and Arriba Studio as judges at a Seoul-based game pitch event organized by Oasys for Korean blockchain game developers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Animoca Brands: Hong Kong-based digital entertainment and blockchain investor actively backing fan-economy, Web3 gaming, and IP-metaverse startups. Comparable to the 021 Fund because of overlapping portfolio themes (Web3 gaming, fan tokens, avatar ecosystems) and a shared investor/portfolio overlap (e.g., Gaudiy, doublejump.tokyo).
• NTT Docomo Ventures: Corporate venture capital arm of NTT Docomo investing in entertainment, XR, content, and telecom-tech startups. Comparable as a major Japanese CVC with similar thematic overlap in entertainment-tech and a comparable check-size profile.
• Sega Sammy Holdings: Japanese entertainment conglomerate with an active CVC and venture investment program; co-partnered with the 021 Fund on the Tokyo Game Show 2023 side event. Directly comparable as another Japanese entertainment-IP CVC targeting startup partnerships.
• Capcom: Japanese video game publisher with strategic venture activity into entertainment-tech and adjacent IP-driven startups. Comparable as a Japanese IP-driven entertainment company pursuing similar startup-collaboration and emerging-tech investment themes.
• Square Enix Holdings: Japanese gaming and entertainment conglomerate that operates its own strategic investment initiatives and co-partnered with the 021 Fund on the Tokyo Game Show startup-investment panel. Comparable as a Japanese IP-driven entertainment CVC pursuing similar startup-collaboration themes.
• KDDI (∞ Lab / MUGENLABO): KDDI's open-innovation CVC and accelerator programs (∞ Lab, MUGENLABO) invest in entertainment, XR, and content startups. Directly comparable as a Japanese telecom/entertainment CVC; explicitly co-markets with the 021 Fund (MUGENLABO Magazine features 021 Fund content).
• Sony Ventures: Sony Group's corporate venture capital arm, investing in entertainment, gaming, and deep-tech startups globally. Highly comparable as another Japanese entertainment conglomerate CVC with similar IP, distribution, and content-creation synergies to offer portfolio companies.
• Mitsubishi UFJ Innovation Partners: CVC arm of MUFG focused on venture investments across fintech, entertainment, and emerging tech. Comparable as a tier-one Japanese institutional CVC that co-invested with the 021 Fund in Gaudiy's Series B and shares similar deal-flow characteristics in entertainment-tech.
• Gree Inc. Japanese internet/gaming company with an active venture investment arm targeting entertainment, Web3, and digital-content startups. Comparable as a Japanese digital-entertainment investor with overlapping portfolio themes (Web3, gaming, creator economy).
• Konami Group: Japanese entertainment conglomerate spanning games, anime, and sports with active strategic investments and partnerships. Comparable as another major Japanese IP-driven entertainment company engaging in venture-style investments to extend IP into new entertainment formats.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=l0VqXu-yJIg
• Xx.com/bnei876

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments21 records

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

Frequently asked questions about BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment (021 Fund)