Kulture
Kulture Inc. is a Tokyo-based entertainment technology subsidiary of Amuse Inc. that builds AI-authenticated ticket-gating, NFT wallets, and Web3 fan-engagement tools, primarily serving Japanese music artists, labels, and entertainment IP holders.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Kulture does
Kulture Inc. is a Tokyo-based entertainment technology company founded on April 27, 2022, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amuse Inc., one of Japan's largest entertainment conglomerates. The company builds technology infrastructure that connects artists with fans through ticket-authenticated digital experiences, NFT-based memberships, and Web3 tooling, with a stated mission to act as the engine for next-generation entertainment through AI, blockchain, and XR. Kulture operates a multi-product platform anchored by KLEW — Japan's first AI-authenticated, ticket-gated fan-artist communication platform launched November 2024 — and A Wallet, a Polygon-based digital wallet that simplifies NFT management by linking to Amuse Group's A!-ID authentication system and eliminating seed-phrase complexity. Supporting products include LIVESHIP (live streaming), A!SMART (artist merchandise e-commerce), Amuse+ (subscription membership), THE ONE (BABYMETAL's NFT-based fan membership), Kulture Klub (NFT-holder Discord community), and the in-house event series StoriAA and PLAY, alongside the Auto Pilot LED Wall stage hardware co-developed with PARTY Inc.
The company monetizes through multiple thin streams: a take rate on KLEW Super Message digital tipping introduced in June 2026, NFT minting and membership card sales via A Wallet and A!SMART, ticket sales and production services for PLAY and StoriAA events at venues such as Shindaita FEVER, SHIBUYA CLUB QUATTRO, LIQUIDROOM, LINE CUBE SHIBUYA, and Spotify O-EAST, strategic IP marketing services for labels and talent, and equity returns from KultureFUND, an investment vehicle targeting AI, Web3, and Metaverse entertainment startups. Customer acquisition runs through owned event IP (PLAY and StoriAA function as both showcase and acquisition channels), NFT-gated community-led growth on Discord, and channel partnerships within the Amuse Group ecosystem supplemented by third-party ticketing on Ticket Pia, e+, and Lawson Ticket. Pricing ranges from ¥3,500 (U-22 discount) to ¥6,500 (advance PLAY tickets) plus variable Super Message spend, with NFT memberships sold as one-time or annual subscriptions.
In its first four years, Kulture scaled KLEW to 37 artists and 92 channels by its November 2025 anniversary, secured Japanese Patent No. 7691202 (granted June 2025) for ticket-based communication technology, completed a business succession from Amuse Inc. that consolidated e-commerce and digital services under Kulture effective October 1, 2024, and deployed KultureFUND capital into strategic partners including PARTY STARTUP STUDIO FUND. The customer base spans major Japanese music acts (BABYMETAL, KIRINJI, Helsinki Lambda Club, Base Ball Bear, PEDRO, NONA REEVES), entertainment companies (Victor Entertainment), and individual talent (Anna Yamada, Hinata Sato), with BABYMETAL emerging as the flagship anchor across NFT membership, metaverse (VRChat/Roblox), and live streaming NFT integrations.
Kulture firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kulture
- Legal name
- 株式会社Kulture
- Website
- https://kulture.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Kulture Inc. is a Tokyo-based entertainment technology subsidiary of Amuse Inc. that builds AI-authenticated ticket-gating, NFT wallets, and Web3 fan-engagement tools, primarily serving Japanese music artists, labels, and entertainment IP holders.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kulture industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Entertainment Technology Platforms
- NAICS
- Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320), Music Publishers (51223)
- SIC
- Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200), Finance Services (6199)
- akta.pro primary industry
- NFT Commerce, Ticketing & Utility Enablement (token-gated access, memberships, passes, ticketing rails) (FSAPAFAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Virtual Event Registration, Ticketing & Access Control (Authentication, Paywalls, Badging) (THAHAOAI), Fan Engagement & Onsite Technology (RFID, Cashless, Apps) (MPAGAAAL), Wallet Infrastructure (SDKs, Wallet-as-a-Service) (FSADACAD), Trading Cards & Collectibles NFT Marketplaces (FSADANAI)
Keywords
Where Kulture is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kulture business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Platform Services (KLEW): KLEW generates revenue through Super Message digital tipping where fans send monetized messages to artists. Platform takes a take rate on transactions. Additional monetization via badge/token issuance and potential special offer functions for passionate fans.
- NFT/Digital Asset Services: A Wallet enables NFT issuance and management for artist communities. Revenue derived from NFT minting, membership cards, and digital collectibles sold through A!SMART integration.
- Event Planning and Production: PLAY and StoriAA event series generate revenue through ticket sales, with the company handling booking, venue selection, and stage production. Artists pay for production services or revenue share arrangements.
- KultureFUND Investment Returns: Investment fund focused on AI, Web3, and Metaverse startups. Generates returns through equity appreciation and portfolio company success.
- IP Marketing Services: Strategic marketing services for artists and IP holders leveraging Web3 and Metaverse technologies. Revenue from service fees and partnerships.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Advance Tickets (PLAY events) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | StoriAA Event Tickets |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | U-22 Discount Tickets |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Super Message Digital Tipping (KLEW) |
| Subscription | Annual | Fan Community Membership Cards (NFT) |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels7 records
Kulture product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kulture Inc. develops and operates KLEW, a digital platform that uses AI to authenticate live event tickets and enables exclusive communication between verified ticket holders and performing artists, alongside A Wallet, a simplified Polygon-based NFT wallet linked to the Amuse Group's A!-ID authentication. The company also produces recurring live event series (PLAY and StoriAA), operates NFT-based fan membership programs (e.g., BABYMETAL's THE ONE), manages NFT-gated Discord communities, and runs KultureFUND—an investment fund focused on AI, Web3, and Metaverse entertainment startups.
Product overview
Kulture operates a multi-product entertainment technology platform built around NFT-based fan engagement and exclusive artist-fan communication. The core offerings include KLEW (AI-powered ticket authentication and exclusive communication platform) and A Wallet (Polygon-based digital wallet for NFT management linked to A!-ID). Supporting services include LIVESHIP (streaming), A!SMART (merchandise), Amuse+ (fan membership), THE ONE (BABYMETAL NFT membership), and event series StoriAA and PLAY. Additional services encompass Fan Community Produce (Discord community management), Kulture Klub (NFT-holder community), KultureFUND (Web3 startup investment), and stage equipment like Auto Pilot LED Wall. The portfolio centers on transforming live event tickets into fan engagement tools through NFT and AI technology integration.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- KLEW: Digital platform enabling exclusive communication between live event ticket holders and performing artists using AI-based ticket authentication.
- A Wallet
- StoriAA
- KultureFUND
Products and services
- KLEW Digital platform enabling exclusive communication between fans holding live event tickets and performing artists; uses AI-based ticket authentication to verify attendance, then unlocks private communication channels, Super Message digital tipping, badges, and tokens for verified ticket holders.
- A Wallet Digital wallet service operating on the Polygon blockchain that allows mainstream entertainment users to easily hold, manage, and use NFTs without private key or seed phrase management; integrates with A!-ID for simplified authentication and with A!SMART for membership card issuance.
- THE ONE ID (NFT Membership) NFT-based membership program for BABYMETAL, issuing a Soul Bound Token ID and granting access to the THE ONE Discord community and digital collectibles including photo cards and NFT-based viewing tickets.
- StoriAA Event Series Recurring music event series producing multi-artist showcases at venues including LIQUIDROOM, Spotify O-EAST, and LINE CUBE SHIBUYA, integrated with KLEW for post-event fan-artist communication and Super Message tipping.
- PLAY Event Series Live event series featuring two-man performances and multi-artist shows at venues including Shindaita FEVER and SHIBUYA CLUB QUATTRO; organized by Kulture with artist booking, production, ticket pricing (¥4,000-6,500 + drink), and U-22 discounts.
- KultureFUND Investment fund focused on AI, Web3, and Metaverse startups with affinity to entertainment content; provides capital plus co-creation in strategy, marketing, PR, UI/UX, and experience design beyond just capital provision.
- Auto Pilot LED Wall Motorized dolly with LED display developed in partnership with PARTY Inc.; operates wirelessly for 360-degree movement and rotation, supports manual operation or programmed automated sequences with motion capture integration.
- Fan Community Produce Service Service offering to plan and manage Discord-based community fan experiences for artists, supporting both free and exclusive communities with A Wallet NFT membership card integration for access control.
- Kulture Klub Experimental Discord community for Kulture NFT holders with exclusive channels, Web3 news sharing, and co-creation opportunities on new projects; gated by NFT ownership via A Wallet.
Quantifiable outcome
- 37 artists adopted KLEW in first year with 92 channels created
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Kulture
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Kulture technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
AI capability3 records
Feature5 records
Kulture partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- PARTY Inc.coreKultureFUND invested in PARTY STARTUP STUDIO FUND, a seed-stage VC established by creative collective PARTY. Partnership focuses on co-creating strategies, marketing, PR, UI/UX, and experience design with portfolio startups. PARTY also collaborated on Auto Pilot LED Wall development.
- Metaverse Creators, Inc.minorInvestor in KultureFUND. Collaborated with Kulture and BABYMETAL on metaverse project to turn music into immersive experiences in VRChat and Roblox.
- Victor Entertainment Inc.minorPresented VICTERA PETA event featuring next J-POP artists. KLEW platform was introduced as communication tool for the event.
- Various Ticketing Partners (Ticket Pia, e+, Lawson)minorThird-party ticketing platforms enabling ticket sales for PLAY and StoriAA events. Essential distribution for event revenue.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Kulture competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Ticketmaster: Global ticketing leader that KLEW integrates with via Ticket Pia/e+/Lawson. Comparable as the dominant ticketing infrastructure layer, and a potential competitor if it builds authenticated post-purchase fan engagement.
- Zora: Decentralized NFT protocol and marketplace used broadly by creators including musicians. Comparable as NFT infrastructure underlying tokenized artist content, though broader than Kulture's entertainment-only focus.
- Live Nation: Global live event promoter and venue operator running PLAY/StoriAA-type event series at scale. Comparable business model on the event production side, with much broader portfolio and resources.
Direct peers
- HUG: Japanese fan community app offering artist chatrooms, free and paid tiers, and exclusive content. Most direct Japanese-market peer to KLEW and Kulture's Discord-based fan community services.
- Sound.xyz: Music NFT platform that enables artists to mint and sell tokenized songs and memberships to fans, with built-in community features. Closely comparable to KLEW + A Wallet as it combines token-gated content with direct artist-fan monetization.
- Royal: Music NFT platform offering fans ownership shares in songs plus access to artist communities. Comparable to A Wallet's NFT membership model and the broader thesis of using tokenized access to deepen fan-artist relationships.
- Catalog: Music NFT marketplace for purchasing and collecting tracks and albums as tokens. Directly comparable to Kulture's NFT membership card and collectible business on A Wallet and OpenSea.
- Mint Songs: Music NFT platform focused on simple minting and distribution for independent artists. Comparable to KLEW/A Wallet's artist onboarding motion and use of Polygon for low-cost NFT issuance.
Others
- Discord: Community platform Kulture uses for Kulture Klub, THE ONE, and artist-specific fan communities. Functionally the underlying infrastructure for Kulture's community-led GTM and a potential platform risk if Discord restricts NFT integrations.
- OpenSea: Largest NFT marketplace where Kulture Klub membership NFTs are listed and traded. Comparable as the secondary distribution rail for Kulture's NFT memberships, and a channel partner rather than direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Kulture social profiles
Digital presenceKulture financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kulture leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Kulture funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kulture M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments3 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kulture
What does Kulture do?
Kulture Inc. develops and operates KLEW, a digital platform that uses AI to authenticate live event tickets and enables exclusive communication between verified ticket holders and performing artists, alongside A Wallet, a simplified Polygon-based NFT wallet linked to the Amuse Group's A!-ID authentication. The company also produces recurring live event series (PLAY and StoriAA), operates NFT-based fan membership programs (e.g., BABYMETAL's THE ONE), manages NFT-gated Discord communities, and runs KultureFUND—an investment fund focused on AI, Web3, and Metaverse entertainment startups.
Is Kulture a public or private company?
Kulture is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Kulture founded?
Kulture was founded in 2022. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Kulture based?
Kulture is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Kulture make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Platform Services (KLEW) is the primary driver. The others are NFT/Digital Asset Services, event Planning and Production, kultureFUND Investment Returns and IP Marketing Services.
Who are Kulture's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Ticketmaster, Zora and Live Nation. Direct peers are HUG, Sound.xyz, Royal, Catalog and Mint Songs. Others are Discord and OpenSea.
Does Kulture have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kulture.
What industry is Kulture in?
Kulture's product category is Entertainment Technology Platforms. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAPAFAJ, NFT Commerce, Ticketing & Utility Enablement (token-gated access, memberships, passes, ticketing rails), with a secondary code of THAHAOAI, Virtual Event Registration, Ticketing & Access Control (Authentication, Paywalls, Badging). Its NAICS code is 711320 and its SIC code is 6200.