What Skyfall does

Skyfall Inc. (株式会社Skyfall) is a Tokyo-headquartered marketing technology company founded in October 2017 that operates a portfolio of interconnected ad-tech, gaming, and market-research products. Its core platform, SKYFLAG, is a reward-based advertising marketplace that charges advertisers on a Cost-Per-Engagement (CPE) basis across 100+ integrated mobile apps and web services in Japan and Korea, with proprietary features including the Recommend Function and User Segment Optimization that select and dynamically curate ad offers using behavioral data. Complementing SKYFLAG are SKYFLAG Research (a smartphone-based market research service leveraging LINE Research official partner status and JDS's TBS longitudinal panel), Poker Chase (a battle royale Texas Hold'em mobile/PC game with 2.5M+ cumulative downloads and anime IP collaborations), and Pocket Play (a point-earning app aggregating multiple game publishers via affiliate commissions).

The company monetizes through four primary streams: CPE-based advertising on SKYFLAG, project and report fees for SKYFLAG Research (single report JPY 100K, full data set JPY 300K), in-app purchases and tournament entry fees in Poker Chase, and affiliate commissions via Pocket Play. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales with a SDK/distribution channel into publisher apps; the SKYFLAG Account Division operates domestic and international advertiser teams, while a separate Media Headquarters supports publisher integrations. Research services are sold directly via dedicated research consultants.

Skyfall has scaled from 114 employees in January 2024 to 208 by March 2026, opened a customer support center in Niigata (February 2024), launched international operations through a wholly-owned Korean subsidiary (Skyfall Korea Inc., August 2025), and expanded into research via the absorption merger of DataLab Inc. (April 2024). The founder and CEO, Tomokazu Hasegawa, previously worked at Sega Games and Adways. The company is privately held with no disclosed external institutional investors. Its Skyfall Inc. (Japanese ad-tech) identity should be distinguished from unrelated entities in the input dataset (e.g., a Ukrainian drone manufacturer and a Nordic-backed cybersecurity firm also called "Skyfall"/CYBRET AI), which were flagged as not relevant to this company.

Name

Skyfall

Legal name

株式会社Skyfall

Website

https://skyfall.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Skyfall is a Tokyo-based marketing technology company operating SKYFLAG, a reward-based CPE advertising marketplace across 100+ mobile apps, complemented by SKYFLAG Research market-research services, the Poker Chase mobile poker game, and Pocket Play affiliate platform, primarily serving Japanese and Korean app publishers, brands, and enterprise research buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mobile Advertising Technology

NAICS

Gambling Industries (7132), Other Gambling Industries (71329)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Offerwalls, Rewards & Performance Monetization (UA-linked payouts) (MPAFAJAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sweepstakes/Free-to-Play & Social Poker Apps (MPAEAEAD)

Keywords

• Reward ad network
• Mobile app monetization
• Marketing research
• Online poker game
• Consumer survey panel

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. SKYFLAG Advertising Platform Revenue: SKYFLAG operates as a reward-based advertising marketplace connecting advertisers (mobile game publishers, brands) with media publishers. The platform charges advertisers on a CPE (Cost Per Engagement) basis and shares revenue with media publishers. Key revenue mechanics include multi-step conversion offers, video reward ads, and segment-optimized ad delivery.
2. SKYFLAG Research (Marketing Research): Skyfall conducts marketing research surveys using its platform (100+ apps), reselling panel-based and LINE Research data to enterprise clients. Revenue is generated through survey project fees, report sales, and consulting engagements.
3. Poker Chase — In-App Purchases & Tournament Fees: Poker Chase is a battle royale-style online Texas Hold'em poker game monetized through in-app purchases (PCM currency purchases, character slot tickets, limited-time gacha bundles) and tournament entry fees.
4. Pocket Play — Affiliate Revenue: Pocket Play earns affiliate commissions from game publishers for driving app installs and in-app engagement. Users earn points by playing games discovered through the platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Skyfall operates the SKYFLAG reward-based advertising platform that monetizes mobile apps through CPE (Cost Per Engagement) reward ads and multi-step conversion offers. The company also runs SKYFLAG Research, a marketing research business leveraging 100+ integrated apps for high-representativeness consumer surveys, and operates two consumer-facing media apps — Poker Chase (online Texas Hold'em poker game) and Pocket Play (point-earning app).

Product overview

Skyfall operates a multi-product platform centered on SKYFLAG, a reward marketing platform that provides integrated monetization, promotion, and research solutions. The app media division offers ポーカーチェイス (a battle royale online poker game with gacha and tournament features) and ポケットプレイ (a point-earning app for playing games). The marketing research division provides SKYFLAGリサーチ (representativeness-focused surveys via 100+ integrated apps) and LINEリサーチ (smartphone research with official partnership). These products work together through shared user engagement and data capabilities, with SKYFLAG serving as the core platform connecting app monetization, advertising, and consumer insights.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SKYFLAG: User-experience-focused reward marketing platform providing monetization, promotion, and research services for app and web service operators.
• SKYFLAGリサーチ
• ポーカーチェイス (Poker Chase)
• ポケットプレイ (Pocket Play)
• マンガDX+

Products and services

• SKYFLAG A reward marketing platform that monetizes apps and web services through Cost Per Engagement (CPE) reward ads, multi-step conversion offers, and dynamically optimized ad recommendations. Sold as an SDK to mobile game publishers, app developers, and digital media operators across Japan and Korea.
• SKYFLAG Research A marketing research service leveraging the SKYFLAG network of 100+ integrated apps to deliver representative consumer surveys, panel research, and consulting for enterprise clients. Combines proprietary app-distributed surveys with LINE Research partnership for smartphone-reach studies.
• LINE Research Smartphone-based research platform delivered via Skyfall's official partnership with LINE. Enables QR code/URL-based open research, photo surveys, and access to 650,000+ active LINE monitors with 50% aged 10-29. Sold as a discrete service to enterprise clients.
• Qualitative Research Consulting Qualitative research service using psychologically-grounded academic approaches. Provides end-to-end research support including questionnaire design, statistical analysis, report creation, and internal data utilization for enterprise clients.
• Poker Chase (ポーカーチェイス) Battle royale-style online Texas Hold'em poker game for mobile (iOS/Android) and PC browser. Features character collection, gacha systems, tournaments, and limited-time collaborations with anime/game IPs. Monetized via in-app purchases (PCM currency, character slots, gacha bundles) and tournament entry fees.
• Pocket Play (ポケットプレイ) Point-earning Android app where users accumulate points by playing partner mobile games, redeemable for Amazon Gift Cards and Google Play Gift Cards. Includes playtime-based and event-based reward mechanics.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ad revenue increased 6x after SKYFLAG integration (Fundoshi Parade / 君の目的は僕を殺すこと3)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• JDS Inc. (株式会社ジェーディーエス)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024Co-publishing partnership for the ライフスタイルトレンドレポート2024, combining Skyfall's research execution capabilities with JDS's TBS生活DATA library — Japan's longest-running (50+ years) consumer lifestyle survey covering ~7,400 respondents aged 13-69.
• Game Publishers (via Pocket Play)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 27 June 2024Pocket Play aggregates game discovery from multiple publishers, earning affiliate commissions when users download and play games via the platform. Multiple publishers are integrated including game studios and manga publishers.
• LINE Research (LINE雅虎株式会社)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Skyfall is an official LINE Research Partner, providing smartphone-optimized marketing research services leveraging LINE's 650,000+ active monitors. Skyfall's dedicated research team handles survey design, execution, and analysis. The partnership enables open-type research (QR/URL-based surveys) and LINE official account integration for client research projects.
• DataLab Inc. (DataLab株式会社)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Skyfall completed an absorption merger of DataLab in April 2024, integrating DataLab's research expertise, methodology, and LINE Research partner status into Skyfall's SKYFLAG Research division. This M&A provided the foundational panel infrastructure and experienced research staff for the research business.
• TEG Inc. / RED° TOKYO TOWERminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted the Poker Chase offline tournament event at RED° TOKYO TOWER in September 2024. Physical venue partnership combining digital poker gameplay with real-world tournament atmosphere, including branded merchandise and character-themed drinks.
• GENDA GiGO Entertainment (株式会社GENDA GiGO Entertainment)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-month collaboration with GiGO POKER locations (Shinjuku and Roppongi) including in-store Poker Chase qualifying tournaments, exclusive merchandise sales, and co-organized the Poker Chase Offline Event 2026. Partnership bridges online and offline poker communities.
• And Factory Inc. ({and factory社})minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCapital and business alliance formed in February 2021 to strengthen collaboration in the app monetization space. Referenced in 2023 as a prior strategic relationship.
• Re,AER LLC / Acacia (魔法少女ノ魔女裁判 IP holders)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLimited-time in-game collaboration bringing 魔法少女ノ魔女裁判 characters into Poker Chase as playable characters. IP holders benefited from expanded reach to Poker Chase's 2.5M+ user base; Skyfall benefits from IP-driven user acquisition and engagement spikes.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Pollfish: Mobile survey and market research monetization platform. Competes with SKYFLAG Research on the research-panel-as-monetization angle, though at smaller scale and with narrower geographic reach.

Regional players

• Macromill: Largest Japanese online market research firm (TSE: 3978). Competes with SKYFLAG Research in Japanese market research services, particularly in consumer panel studies and trend reports.

Direct peers

• Adways: Japanese mobile ad-tech and affiliate network (Smart-C, AppDriver). Multiple Skyfall executives (Hosoda, Ikeda, Ikota) joined from Adways, and the two companies operate in overlapping reward ad and affiliate monetization for Japanese mobile apps.
• Geniee: Japanese SSP/DSP and ad-tech platform (TSE: 6562) operating GenieeDSP, rewarded video, and affiliate solutions. Geniee is a direct competitor in Japan mobile monetization; one Skyfall Product Division head previously led SFA/CRM and offshore operations at Geniee.
• tapjoy: Global offerwall and rewarded ad network for mobile apps. Tapjoy pioneered the CPE reward ad format that SKYFLAG now operates at scale; both compete for the same mobile game publisher wallet globally.
• ironSource (Unity Level Play): Mobile ad mediation and rewarded video network acquired by Unity. Level Play directly competes with SKYFLAG in CPE/offerwall monetization for mobile game developers worldwide.
• Fyber (Digital Turbine): Offerwall and rewarded ad monetization platform now part of Digital Turbine. Operates the same CPE reward ad model as SKYFLAG for mobile game publishers globally.
• Liftoff: Mobile ad-tech platform specializing in rewarded ads, programmatic UA, and creative optimization for gaming apps. Direct competitor to SKYFLAG in CPE reward formats globally.

Broad incumbents

• AppLovin: Publicly listed global mobile ad-tech and monetization platform (AXON, SparkLabs, MAX mediation). Skyfall's SKYFLAG Account HQ director Nakamura previously held advertiser-side advertising operations at AppLovin Japan; AppLovin competes at the broader platform level rather than specialized Japan reward ads.
• Septeni Holdings: Japanese digital advertising group with subsidiaries in digital ads, content, and data. Operates as a broader Japanese ad-tech incumbent with overlapping advertiser relationships in the Japanese market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PokerChase_JP
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/skyfall-skyflag

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Skyfall