Play Maker

What Play Maker does

Play Maker (株式会社PLAYMAKER) is a Nagano, Japan-based private company founded in September 2020 that operates a multi-service sports career and event management platform centered on the Japanese competitive soccer ecosystem. The company delivers four integrated service lines: career pathway support for U-18 soccer players (anchored by the MOISH platform that organizes university information, designs career paths, and coordinates parent engagement); event planning and operations for regional experiential events under brands including お化けの背中 and WOW!信州; team and league support providing secretariat services for organizations such as the Tokyo University Football Federation, Kanto University Soccer League Norte, and the Funabashi Invitational U-18 Soccer Tournament; and custom partner services for corporate, government, and educational clients. The company has cumulatively supported over 1,000 athletes and teams and operates in Nagano, Tokyo, and Saitama prefectures.

The underlying technology consists of web-based platform services (MOISH, お化けの背中, WOW!信州) and custom event management and tournament operational systems developed in-house, with one team member dedicated to IT and development. The company generates revenue through professional services fees from B2B engagements (league secretariat operations, tournament administration, custom event projects) and B2C career support via the MOISH platform and high school seminars; pricing is quote-based with no publicly disclosed rates. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on direct engagement at high school and university soccer events, Instagram content, PR Times press releases, and direct inquiry via the company website. The company is founder-led by Representative Director Ryota Mitsuhashi, operates with a five-person team, and has not raised external funding.

Name

Play Maker

Legal name

株式会社PLAYMAKER

Website

https://playmaker.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Play Maker is a Nagano-based Japanese company that supports U-18 soccer players through career pathway services, league secretariat operations, and regional event management, serving athletes, families, soccer teams, leagues, and corporate partners across Nagano, Tokyo, and Saitama.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Career Services

NAICS

Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (7114), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Athlete & Talent Representation (Agents, Managers) (MPAKAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cause, Community & CSR-Linked Sports Partnerships (Foundations, Youth Programs) (MPAKALAJ), Party Games, Activities & Interactive Entertainment (HSACACAJ)

Keywords

• Sports career platform
• Athlete pathway support
• Sports league secretariat
• Regional event management
• Youth soccer services

Headquarters

HQ city

Nagano

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Event Planning and Operations Services: Full-cycle event services from concept planning to on-site operations, including experiential events (お化けの背中), community events, and children's clothing events. Revenue generated through client commissions and service fees.
2. Team and League Support Services: Operational support for sports leagues, tournament secretariats, and team operations including administrative management, stakeholder coordination, and event logistics. Services include secretariat operations for Tokyo University Football League, Kanto University Football League, and Funabashi Invitational U-18 Tournament.
3. Career and Pathway Support Services: Support services for U-18 soccer players including university information organization, career path design, parent coordination, and seminar services. Includes MOISH platform services and high school student pathway seminars.
4. Partner/Client Project Services: Custom project services understanding client requirements, ideating solutions, and executing deliverables. Includes corporate collaboration projects, athlete recruitment support, and regional public service planning.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Play Maker is a professional services company that supports the Japanese youth soccer ecosystem across four pillars: career pathway support for U-18 soccer players and their families (centered on its MOISH platform), event planning and operations for sports and regional experiences (via お化けの背中 and WOW!信州), team and league secretariat support (running secretariats for Tokyo University Football Federation, Kanto University Soccer League Norte, and Funabashi Invitational U-18), and partner/custom client projects for corporations and local governments. The company combines proprietary web platforms with on-the-ground event operations, having supported over 1,000 athletes and teams cumulatively.

Product overview

Play Maker operates a multi-service platform with four core business segments: (1) 進路・キャリアサポート (Career Pathway Support), centered on MOISH for university guidance to U-18 soccer players; (2) イベント企画・運営 (Event Planning & Operations), including お化けの背中 and WOW!信州 for regional experience events; (3) チーム・リーグサポート (Team & League Support), managing secretariats for Tokyo University Football Federation, Kanto University Soccer League Norte, and Funabashi Invitational U-18 Tournament; and (4) パートナー事業 (Partner Services) for custom client solutions. The company has supported over 1,000 players and teams, offering additional services in inquiry-based learning, athlete recruitment, and JPFA tryout operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MOISH: 大学情報の整理、進路実現までの設計、保護者連携など、U-18世代のサッカーチームにおける進路指導を支える提供服务。高校生と保護者向け進路セミナープログラムも展開。
• お化けの背中
• WOW！信州
• JPFA トライアウト

Products and services

• MOISH (モイッシュ) Web-based career support platform for U-18 high school soccer players and their parents/guardians, providing university information organization, pathway planning, and parent coordination, along with high school student pathway seminars.
• お化けの背中 Web platform and service for creating experience-based events that connect regions and companies through regional resource planning, corporate partnerships, and on-site operations.
• WOW!信州 Regional co-creation project platform promoting the appeal of Shinshu through experience program planning and collaboration with regional businesses.
• Career Pathway Support (進路・キャリアサポート) Professional service supporting high school soccer players' next steps with correct information and accompaniment, including university information organization, pathway planning, and parent coordination.
• Event Planning & Operations (イベント企画・運営) Full-cycle event management service from concept planning to on-site operations, implementing events that embody client concepts, including experiential events, children's clothing events, and community events.
• Team & League Support (チーム・リーグサポート) League secretariat, tournament secretariat, and team travel support service that supports daily soccer operations including competition management and university member support for clients such as Tokyo University Football Federation, Kanto University Soccer League Norte, Funabashi Invitational U-18 Soccer Tournament, and JPFA tryout operations.
• Partner Business (パートナー事業) Custom client solutions service that listens to client needs, materializes ideal forms, and creates and operates solutions from concept to execution, including corporate collaboration projects, athlete recruitment support, and regional public project planning.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,000+ athletes and teams supported through career and team support services

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Saitama Stadium 2002minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 June 2026PLAYMAKER participated as a cooperating company in the Saitama Stadium NEXT Challenge event, a tryout event for high school students. At the event, the company conducted university soccer information sessions and introduced their MOISH career support service.
• KOKOKIDS.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 June 2026PLAYMAKER planned and operated the children's clothing event 'Gift from Ouchikun' with cooperation from children's clothing brand KOKOKIDS. KOKOKIDS participated as a featured brand at the event.
• RIKOTAminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 June 2026PLAYMAKER planned and operated the children's clothing event 'Gift from Ouchikun' with cooperation from children's clothing brand RIKOTA. RIKOTA participated as a featured brand at the event.
• Tokai University Judo Club (東海大学柔道部)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPLAYMAKER provided project direction for a recruitment-related initiative involving Tokai University Judo Club and株式会社BRICK, handling the coordination and execution of the recruitment project.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SpoLive: Japanese sports community and event platform aggregating amateur sports activities, tournaments, and team operations. Comparable to PLAYMAKER's team/league secretariat and event-planning business lines serving amateur sports organizers.
• SpoNavi: Sports career exploration platform for Japanese athletes providing information on pathways from school sports to professional and amateur opportunities. Overlaps with PLAYMAKER's MOISH university information and pathway-planning services for high-school soccer players.
• Athlete Career (Athlete Career Co., Ltd.): Provides athletes with career transition support, dual-career resources, and recruitment matching in Japan. Closely comparable to PLAYMAKER's U-18 pathway support and team recruitment project work, targeting the same Japanese sports-career segment.
• Stadium Inc. Japanese sports career platform operating job fairs, media, and athlete-recruitment services for student-athletes and sports organizations. Directly comparable to PLAYMAKER's MOISH pathway support and athlete recruitment add-ons, both serving the Japan student-athlete market.

Broad incumbents

• ANYTIMESPACE: Larger Japanese sports facility booking and operations platform spanning multiple sports and venues. Comparable to PLAYMAKER at the level of team/league support and event operations, though with broader geographic and category coverage.
• Player!: Japanese sports social media and content platform (originally by Plus Gear) covering multiple sports with established community reach. A broader incumbent competing for top-of-funnel attention against PLAYMAKER's regional community and event channels.

Others

• Sportippon: Japanese sports content and information portal covering multiple sports pathways for young athletes. Adjacent comparator to PLAYMAKER's MOISH university-info and pathway content services for U-18 athletes.

Regional players

• Spolet: Japan-based sports community/event platform with concentrated regional activity. Comparable to PLAYMAKER's community-led GTM model and event touchpoint strategy, with overlapping approach to grassroots sports consumer engagement.

Emerging players

• Plus Sports (NPO Plussport): NPO focused on athlete second-career support and sports community development in Japan. Adjacent to PLAYMAKER's career-support and regional-revitalization pillars, operating at smaller scale and with a non-profit model.
• Runtrip: Japanese running-focused community and event platform combining content, community meetups, and experiential events. Comparable to PLAYMAKER's お化けの背中 and WOW!信州 regional experiential event services, though focused on running rather than soccer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/playmaker_official_
• Xx.com/PLAYMAKER_OA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 Play Maker