Katsucon Entertainment

What Katsucon Entertainment does

Katsucon Entertainment, Inc. (KEI) is a Maryland-domiciled 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit that produces the annual Katsucon convention, a 3-day fan convention founded in 1995 and held at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD (February 12-14, 2027 is its 32nd edition). The organization is run entirely by unpaid volunteers — there are no paid staff — and its stated mission is to provide educational programming about Japanese animation, society, and traditional and popular culture. Its primary customer segments are multicultural anime/Japan-culture enthusiasts, cosplayers, independent artists and makers, commercial merchants, families with children, and fan panelists, all served through a direct-to-consumer event model.

The core product is the physical convention itself, which is composed of roughly two dozen programming verticals including cosplay competitions (Masquerade, Hall Costume Contest, Fashion Show, Super Idol Show), performing-arts showcases (AMV contests, Formal Ball), cultural programming (Japanese Culture Institute, J-Fashion), gaming (Video Gaming Hall, Table Top Gaming), the Maid Cafe, and the Chibi Katsu children's track, plus accessibility services (Disability Support Services). Katsucon does not operate any proprietary technology platform; it relies on third-party SaaS — Eventeny for online badge registration and Guidebook for the mobile attendee app — and distributes via its official website and organic social channels (Facebook, YouTube, X/Twitter).

Revenue is generated through five streams: tiered convention badge sales ($70-$95 adult, $0-$85 under 18, free for age 7 and under, with group discounts), Artist Alley table rentals (175+ tables in Prince George's Hall D with premium corner upgrades), Merchants Hall booth rentals (10x10 booths in Prince George Exhibit Halls A, B, C), Photo Suite professional cosplay photography packages, and Maid Cafe reservations (with proceeds donated to Relay for Life / American Cancer Society). Pricing follows a five-tier early-bird demand-shaping model (Midoru through At-Door), and a multi-year room block at the Gaylord National anchors attendee lodging at $255-$275/night. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Katsucon Entertainment

Legal name

Katsucon Entertainment, Inc.

Website

https://katsucon.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Katsucon Entertainment is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit that produces the annual Katsucon convention, a 32-year-running 3-day anime and Japanese culture fan event at the Gaylord National Resort, serving multicultural enthusiasts, cosplayers, independent artists, merchants, and families.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Anime / Fan Convention Events

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Beauty, Fashion & Pop-Culture Conventions (MPAGAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Consumer & Public Shows (B2C) Organizers (THAHABAC), Local Community & Multi-Category Fairs (MPAGAFAO)

Keywords

• Anime convention
• Fan convention events
• Cosplay competitions
• Japanese culture programming
• Convention badge registration

Headquarters

HQ city

National

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Convention Badge Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling convention attendee badges across multiple pricing tiers including Midoru, Early Bird, Last Chance, and At-Door rates. Adults pay $70-$95, Under 18 pay $0-$85, Chibi (7 and under) are free. Group discounts of $5 per attendee for groups of 10+ are available.
2. Artist Alley Table Sales: Revenue from artists purchasing table space in the Artist Alley. Standard tables include one 6ft x 30inch table, tablecloth, two chairs, and one artist badge. Premium corner tables offer two tables in L-shape configuration with additional badges available for purchase.
3. Merchants Hall Booth Sales: Revenue from vendors renting booth space in Prince George Exhibit Halls A, B, & C. Booth sizes are 10ft x 10ft with corner and endcap upgrades available. Two badges included per booth.
4. Photo Suite Services: Professional cosplay photography services offering tiered packages including Main Character Energy (full high-res package), The Slice of Life (low-res package), and Chibi Snap (single low-res image). Deposits required for time slot reservations.
5. Maid Cafe Reservations: Cherry Tea Maid Cafe generates revenue through ticket reservations, with donations going to Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society. Additional services and special bundles available for purchase.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Katsucon Entertainment produces the Katsucon annual 3-day fan convention at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, MD, dedicated to Japanese animation, society, and traditional and popular culture. The organization sells attendee badges, rents exhibit-hall tables and booths to artists and merchants, and operates ancillary services such as the Photo Suite and Cherry Tea Maid Cafe. All operations are run by unpaid volunteers, and the 2027 event will mark the convention's 32nd anniversary.

Product overview

Katsucon Entertainment operates the Katsucon annual 3-day convention (February 12-14, 2027, at Gaylord National Resort), produced by Katsucon Entertainment Inc. (KEI), an educational organization dedicated to Japanese animation, society, and popular culture. The convention is not a software product but a physical event portfolio consisting of cosplay competitions (Masquerade, Hall Costume Contest, Fashion Show), performing arts showcases (Super Idol Show, AMV contests, Formal Ball, Maid Cafe), exhibit spaces (Artist Alley with 175+ tables, Art Show with live auction, Merchants Hall), cultural programming (Japanese Culture Institute, J-Fashion), gaming (Video Gaming Hall, Table Top Gaming), and accessibility services. The event also offers cosplay meetup scheduling, professional Photo Suite services, and charity programming through the annual Charity Auction benefiting Relay for Life.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Katsucon Annual Convention Badge Registration Tiered convention badge sales for the annual 3-day Katsucon event at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, MD. Sold to individual fans of Japanese animation, society, and culture across Midoru, Early Bird, Last Chance, and At-Door tiers (Adult $70-$95; Under 18 $0-$85; Chibi 7 & under free), with a $5 per attendee discount for groups of 10-15.
• Artist Alley Table Rental Jury-curated table space in Prince George's Hall D for independent artists to sell original anime artwork, commissions, plushies, cosplay accessories, and sculptures. Standard tables include a 6ft x 30in table, tablecloth, two chairs, and one artist badge; premium corner tables offer two tables in an L-shape configuration with additional badges available for purchase.
• Merchants Hall Booth Rental Jury-selected 10ft x 10ft booth space in Prince George Exhibit Halls A, B, and C for commercial vendors selling anime figures, plushies, and high-quality merchandise. Includes two badges per booth, with corner and endcap upgrades available.
• Photo Suite Cosplay Photography Service Professional 30-minute cosplay photography sessions at the convention with tiered packages including Main Character Energy (full high-resolution package), The Slice of Life (low-resolution package), and Chibi Snap (single low-resolution image). Deposits are required for time-slot reservations and digital delivery is via USB.
• Cherry Tea Maid Cafe Reservations Family-friendly Japanese-inspired dining experience at Potomac District Cafe with Maids and Butlers, featuring games, live performances, and exclusive attractions. Sold via ticket reservations with additional services and special bundles available for purchase; donations are directed to Relay for Life / American Cancer Society.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• New York Comic Con: ReedPop-operated national pop-culture convention whose anime and cosplay tracks compete for the same cosplayer, artist, and vendor populations as Katsucon, with significantly larger sponsor budgets.
• Fan Expo: Multi-city pop-culture convention portfolio that includes anime, cosplay, and Japanese culture programming relevant to Katsucon's content mix and target attendee segments.
• Anime Expo: The largest anime convention in North America, run by the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation; operates as a broad incumbent with paid staff, larger vendor halls, and higher attendee scale than Katsucon.

Direct peers

• Anime NYC: Major anime-focused convention in New York City, directly competing for East Coast anime fans, cosplayers, and vendor/artist exhibitors that historically targeted Katsucon.
• Otakon: Direct competing anime convention on the U.S. East Coast (originally D.C./Baltimore area, now held in NYC), offering a very similar fan programming mix (cosplay, panels, artist alley) to Katsucon's audience.
• Anime Boston: Northeast U.S. anime convention run by a volunteer nonprofit on a comparable scale and with a similar artist alley / panels / cosplay programming model to Katsucon.

Regional players

• Sakura-Con: Seattle-based anime convention produced by the same parent-style nonprofit ecosystem (ANIME Seattle) with a comparable volunteer-driven, education-focused mandate and similar programming categories.
• Awesome Con: D.C.-area pop-culture convention that overlaps with Katsucon's local attendee base and competes for cosplayers, artists, and family programming attention in the same metro.
• AnimeJapan: Japan's flagship public anime convention (Tokyo), serving as a global category benchmark for the type of large-scale anime consumer events Katsucon operates, though geographically separate.

Emerging players

• Otakon Vegas: Smaller-scale spinoff anime convention focused on a West Coast market, representing the kind of regional spin-out format that could model future expansion but currently competes only in adjacent territory.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Katsucon
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/KatsuconVideos
• Facebookfacebook.com/KatsuNinjas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Katsucon Entertainment