DerpyCon
DerpyCon is a New Jersey-based, fan-run annual multi-genre convention covering anime, gaming, sci-fi, and comics, organized by the 501(c)(3) Society of the Preservation of Pop Culture since 2014 and serving individual attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors in the Northeast US.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersNew Brunswick, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What DerpyCon does
DerpyCon is a fan-run multi-genre pop culture convention held annually in New Brunswick, New Jersey, organized by Society of the Preservation of Pop Culture, Inc., a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit incorporated in New Jersey. Founded in 2014, the convention consolidates anime, gaming, sci-fi, and comic fandom under a single event and serves individual attendees (anime enthusiasts, gamers, cosplayers, comic fans, sci-fi fans) plus a vendor and sponsor ecosystem. Its core products include the annual convention, membership/badge tiers (full weekend and single-day), the Artist Alley and Dealers Room exhibitor halls (capped at 500 applications), a Video Gaming Hall (co-presented with AVGC and Save Point), Tabletop Gaming space, panels and workshops, cosplay programming (Masquerade, Hall Cosplay, Cosplay Chess, Idol Showcase), dance and karaoke events, an AMV contest, a Maid Cafe, and a virtual extension called DerpyCon Online broadcast on hotel Channel 75.
The business model is primarily transaction-based: revenue is generated from one-time membership/badge sales with early-bird pricing escalators and group discounts (10+ badges via promo 'groupreg26'), exhibitor booth fees for Artist Alley and Dealers Room, and an affiliate-style revenue share with Hyatt Regency New Brunswick, which provides complimentary weekend memberships to hotel guests booking through DerpyCon's link. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the convention website with optional badge mailing for early registrants and on-site pickup for late registrations. Marketing relies on a multi-channel organic approach including social media (Facebook, X, Instagram, Tumblr, BlueSky), a Discord community, segmented email newsletters, RSS, content marketing, and street-team outreach at peer regional conventions (Anime Boston, Castle Point, Garden State Anime Fest, Kogaracon, Thy Geekdom Con, CycloneCon, Princeton Pride). Forward growth signals include the announced DerpyCon London (June 2027) international expansion and the DerpyCon Cruise (March-April 2028) new product line.
DerpyCon firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DerpyCon
- Legal name
- Society of the Preservation of Pop Culture, Inc.
- Website
- https://derpycon.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- DerpyCon is a New Jersey-based, fan-run annual multi-genre convention covering anime, gaming, sci-fi, and comics, organized by the 501(c)(3) Society of the Preservation of Pop Culture since 2014 and serving individual attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors in the Northeast US.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
DerpyCon industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fan convention / pop culture event services
- NAICS
- Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries (713), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (71399)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local Community & Multi-Category Fairs (MPAGAFAO)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Consumer & Public Shows (B2C) Organizers (THAHABAC)
Keywords
Where DerpyCon is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New Brunswick
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
DerpyCon business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Membership/Registration Fees: The primary revenue stream comes from selling convention memberships (weekend badges) and single-day trial badges (Friday, Saturday, Sunday). Pricing follows an early-bird model with gradual increases closer to the event date. Group discounts are offered for purchases of 10 or more full weekend memberships.
- Exhibitor/Vendor Fees: Revenue generated from Artist Alley booth fees and Dealer Room vendor fees. Applications are accepted with a limit of 500 exhibitor applications per year.
- Hotel Partnership Revenue: The convention partners with Hyatt Regency New Brunswick, receiving complimentary weekend memberships as part of the hotel room block agreement. Hotel guests booking through DerpyCon's link receive free membership badges.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Full Weekend Membership (Weekend Badge) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Single-Day Trial Badges |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
DerpyCon product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DerpyCon is an annual multi-genre pop culture convention (anime, gaming, sci-fi, and comics) held at the Hyatt Regency New Brunswick, organized by the 501(c)(3) non-profit Society of the Preservation of Pop Culture, Inc. It sells weekend and single-day membership badges, exhibitor booth space across the Dealers Room, Artist Alley, and Indie Gaming Showcase, and bundles complimentary memberships with partner hotel bookings. Programming includes video and tabletop gaming halls, cosplay masquerade and hall competitions, panels and workshops, dance, karaoke, AMV contests, Maid Cafe, viewings, and an online component (DerpyCon Online).
Product overview
DerpyCon is New Jersey's Anime, Gaming, Sci-Fi, and Comic Convention - a single, unified convention product that has been held annually since 2014. The event brings together multiple nerdy genres under one roof, offering convention attendance passes (memberships/badges), dealer and artist vendor halls, video and tabletop gaming areas, cosplay events (including Masquerade and Hall Cosplay competitions), panels and workshops, dance events, karaoke, AMV contests, and a themed Maid Cafe. The convention also provides virtual access via DerpyCon Online and has announced its first international expansion with the DerpyCon Cruise sailing in March 2028.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- DerpyCon Convention Annual multi-genre pop culture convention bringing anime, gaming, sci-fi, and comic content under one roof with panels, concerts, video gaming, cosplay, vendors, dances, LARPs, artists, and more. Targeted at pop culture fans in the Northeast US.
- Convention Memberships / Badges Attendance passes for the annual convention, available as full weekend memberships or single-day trial badges (Friday, Saturday, Sunday). Includes early-bird pricing, group discounts, and mail or on-site pickup options.
- Dealers Room Exhibitor hall offering comics, games, figures, collectables, and merchandise from various vendors, available to convention attendees. Vendors apply and pay booth fees.
- Artist Alley Exhibitor hall showcasing original artwork, plushies, prints, apparel, pins, and unique designs from independent artists, with a cap of 500 combined exhibitor applications per year.
- Indie Gaming Showcase Exhibitor area featuring independent game developers and their games at the convention.
- Video Gaming Hall Gaming room featuring retro consoles and arcade cabinets, presented by AVGC and Save Point, including tournaments and casual gaming.
- Tabletop Gaming Dedicated space for board games, card gaming, Dungeons & Dragons-themed playthroughs, Magic The Gathering and Yu-Gi-Oh TCG gaming meetups, and Catan qualifiers.
- Cosplay Events Cosplay programming including Cosplay Masquerade (main event with skits, songs, dances), Hall Cosplay Competition, Cosplay Chess, Idol Showcase, and Cosplay Judging.
- Panels & Workshops Attendee-run panels and workshops covering pop culture topics, film history, comics discussions, trivia games, and interactive presentations throughout the convention weekend.
- AMV Contest Anime Music Video contest where editors submit creative AMVs for viewing and voting by convention attendees.
- Maid Cafe Themed dining experience featured as part of the convention programming.
- DerpyCon Online Virtual convention experience with panels available online, also broadcast on Channel 75 at the hotel for in-person attendees.
- Hotel Accommodations Official hotel partnerships providing discounted rates at venue-adjacent hotels, with complimentary weekend membership badges for hotel guests booking through DerpyCon's link.
- DerpyCon Cruise Adventure International cruise event departing March 29 - April 5, 2028 for the Caribbean from New York with stops in the Bahamas and Puerto Rico, marking the first overseas expansion of the convention.
Quantifiable outcome
- 500 exhibitor application limit demonstrates strong vendor demand
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use DerpyCon
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
DerpyCon technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
DerpyCon partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Ramen NagomiminorParticipates in DerpyCon's 'Show Your Badge' discount program, offering discounts to DerpyCon attendees at their New Brunswick NJ restaurant location. Celebrating 10 years in New Brunswick NJ with partnership supporting local community.
- Hyatt Regency New BrunswickcoreOfficial host hotel venue for DerpyCon. The partnership provides attendees with proximity to the convention floor and overnight accommodations. Hotel bookings through DerpyCon's link include complimentary weekend memberships. The convention has been held at this venue since moving to New Brunswick.
- AVGC (A Video Game Con)corePresents the Video Gaming Hall at DerpyCon, bringing retro consoles and arcade cabinets for attendee gaming experiences. Returning partner for multiple years.
- Save PointcoreCo-presents the Video Gaming Hall alongside AVGC, contributing to the retro gaming and arcade cabinet offerings at DerpyCon.
- Origin of PlaycoreHosts gaming tournaments in the video game room at DerpyCon, providing competitive gaming experiences for attendees.
- Tokyo TreatminorSponsor for DerpyCon 2024, providing prize giveaways including Tokyo Treat boxes at gaming tournament events.
- PuffinminorSponsor for DerpyCon 2023, providing prize giveaways including PlayStation 5, $100 Visa Giftcards, and Puffin merchandise during convention weekend at nearby New Brunswick locations.
- Blackthorn Irish PubminorLocal venue partner for DerpyCon 2023 prize drawings, located across from the Hyatt Regency New Brunswick convention venue.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
DerpyCon competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Otakon: Long-running multi-genre anime, gaming, and pop-culture convention held in the DC/Baltimore and previously DC area. Closely comparable in scope (panels, cosplay, vendors, gaming) and longevity, competing for East Coast anime fans who might otherwise attend DerpyCon.
- AnimeNEXT: Annual anime convention held in the New Jersey / New York metro area. Directly comparable in genre mix (anime, manga, cosplay, gaming) and Northeast US geography, competing for the same local attendee base.
- Anime NYC: Large anime-focused convention held annually at the Javits Center in Manhattan. Directly comparable to DerpyCon in target audience (anime/gaming fans) and event format, but operates at significantly greater scale with a professional operator (LeftField Media) backing it.
- Anime Boston: Northeast US anime convention held annually in Boston. Directly comparable multi-genre anime/gaming event format and audience, and a venue where DerpyCon already runs a street-team outreach presence, indicating direct competition for the same regional attendee pool.
- Katsucon: Mid-Atlantic anime convention held annually in the DC area. Comparable multi-genre anime/gaming/cosplay programming and East Coast positioning, drawing some of the same regional attendee pool as DerpyCon.
- Castle Point Anime Convention: Smaller anime convention held in New Jersey. Directly comparable in scope and geography, and listed by DerpyCon as a venue where it runs street-team outreach — making it both peer and overlapping marketing channel.
Broad incumbents
- New York Comic Con: One of the largest pop-culture conventions in the US, run by ReedPop. Overlaps significantly with DerpyCon's anime, gaming, sci-fi, and comic programming, but operates as a much broader, professionally produced destination event serving the same Northeast fandom audience at a different scale.
Emerging players
- MAGFest (Music and Gaming Festival): Annual festival combining video gaming, tabletop gaming, and music in the DC/Mid-Atlantic region. Comparable in the gaming-and-community emphasis of DerpyCon's programming, and similarly operated as a community-driven non-profit event.
- Kogaracon: Anime convention held in Connecticut, overlapping Northeast fandom geography with DerpyCon. Smaller and more focused, but competes for the same regional anime/gaming attendees.
Regional players
- Garden State Anime Fest: Local New Jersey anime event series. Comparable in anime-focused programming and NJ geography, but smaller in scale and operates as a regional festival rather than a full multi-day convention like DerpyCon.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
DerpyCon social profiles
Digital presenceDerpyCon financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DerpyCon leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
DerpyCon funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DerpyCon M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about DerpyCon
What does DerpyCon do?
DerpyCon is an annual multi-genre pop culture convention (anime, gaming, sci-fi, and comics) held at the Hyatt Regency New Brunswick, organized by the 501(c)(3) non-profit Society of the Preservation of Pop Culture, Inc. It sells weekend and single-day membership badges, exhibitor booth space across the Dealers Room, Artist Alley, and Indie Gaming Showcase, and bundles complimentary memberships with partner hotel bookings. Programming includes video and tabletop gaming halls, cosplay masquerade and hall competitions, panels and workshops, dance, karaoke, AMV contests, Maid Cafe, viewings, and an online component (DerpyCon Online).
Is DerpyCon a public or private company?
DerpyCon is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was DerpyCon founded?
DerpyCon was founded in 2014. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is DerpyCon based?
DerpyCon is headquartered in New Brunswick, United States, in the North America region.
How does DerpyCon make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership/Registration Fees are the primary driver. The others are exhibitor/Vendor Fees and hotel Partnership Revenue.
Who are DerpyCon's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Otakon, AnimeNEXT, Anime NYC, Anime Boston, Katsucon and Castle Point Anime Convention. New York Comic Con is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are MAGFest (Music and Gaming Festival) and Kogaracon. Garden State Anime Fest is listed as a regional player.
Does DerpyCon have an API?
No public API is recorded for DerpyCon.
What industry is DerpyCon in?
DerpyCon's product category is Fan convention / pop culture event services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAFAO, Local Community & Multi-Category Fairs, with a secondary code of THAHABAC, Consumer & Public Shows (B2C) Organizers. Its NAICS code is 713 and its SIC code is 7900.