Zeta

What Zeta does

ZETA, Inc. (株式会社ZETA) is a Tokyo-based urban sports entertainment company founded in April 2016 by CEO Eiji Zaima (財満栄治). The company operates an integrated business spanning media, large-scale event production, regional sports tourism, athlete management, creative services, and Web3/metaverse offerings, all centered on action sports disciplines including skateboarding, breaking, BMX, parkour, double dutch, and freestyle football. Its customer base is diversified across corporate brand sponsors (SanDisk/Western Digital, Timberland/VF Japan, Alcon, Motorola Mobility Japan, Red Bull Japan, GoPro), local government bodies running regional revitalization events (Yokohama, Kumamoto, Omaezaki, Ube, Fukushima/J-Village, Tanegashima), sports federations including the Japan Dance Sports Federation, and a managed roster of 200+ urban sports athletes, creators, and influencers — including Guinness World Record holders such as young skateboarder Kokawami Emoki (河上恵蒔).

The company's core product is the FINEPLAY media platform — described as Japan's largest urban sports and street culture content hub — which distributes news and video content to more than 20 partner media platforms including Yahoo! News, Sports Bull, and LINE News. FINEPLAY operates alongside CURRENT (skateboard culture sub-brand) and ZONE-X, an urban sports-themed metaverse space developed on the XANA platform. Event properties include the flagship YOKOHAMA URBAN SPORTS FESTIVAL (YUSF), a free-entry festival at Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse that drew 65,000-70,000 attendees in 2023-2024; the multi-region URBAN SPORTS CAMP sports tourism series; KUMAMOTO URBAN SPORTS FES; and VANSPO CUP breaking battles. The company also offers athlete management, NFT/metaverse digital products, and creative production services (video, photography, branding, web development).

ZETA generates revenue across six streams: media advertising on FINEPLAY/CURRENT; event management and production fees; creative production services for corporate clients; athlete management fees and sponsorship facilitation; NFT and metaverse licensing via XANA; and corporate sponsorships. The company is privately held and venture-capital backed, having completed a third-party allocation funding round in June 2022 from Oricon Co., Ltd., individual investors, and a financial institution for tens of millions of yen. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; services are customized per engagement. With 11-50 employees headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo, ZETA is extending operations into Asia via a 2023 strategic partnership with Taiwan-based Tridente Inc.

Name

Zeta

Legal name

株式会社ZETA

Website

https://zeta-inc.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ZETA, Inc. is a Tokyo-based urban sports entertainment company integrating media platforms (FINEPLAY, CURRENT), flagship events (YUSF), regional sports tourism, athlete management, creative services, and Web3 products. It serves corporate sponsors, local governments, sports federations, athletes, and youth action-sports audiences across Japan and expanding into Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Media & Events

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113), Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (7114), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Brand Strategy & Creative Services (Design, Content, Social) (MPAKAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regional Multi-Sport Games & Festival Organizers (MPAKADAK), Athlete & Talent Representation (Agents, Managers) (MPAKAKAA), Social/Creator-Led Sports Live Streaming & Watch-Alongs (MPAKAOAI)

Keywords

• Urban sports media
• Action sports events
• Athlete management
• Sports tourism
• Creative production services

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Media Advertising & Content: Revenue from advertising and content partnerships through FINEPLAY and CURRENT media platforms, with content distributed across 20+ partner platforms including Yahoo! News, Sports Bull, and LINE News
2. Event Management & Production: Revenue from organizing and producing large-scale urban sports festivals including YOKOHAMA URBAN SPORTS FESTIVAL, Urban Sports Camp events, and regional sports tourism initiatives
3. Creative Services: Video production, photography, creative direction, and branding services for corporate clients and brand collaborations
4. Athlete Management: Management fees and athlete-related services including athlete representation, sponsorship facilitation, and career development for urban sports athletes
5. NFT & Web3 Services: NFT marketplace partnerships and metaverse content creation through collaborations with XANA and other Web3 platforms
6. Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorship revenue from major brands including Red Bull Japan, GoPro, and other urban sports and lifestyle brands for events and athlete partnerships

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ZETA operates an integrated urban sports business that owns and operates the FINEPLAY and CURRENT media platforms, produces the YOKOHAMA URBAN SPORTS FESTIVAL and URBAN SPORTS CAMP regional event series, manages a 200+ athlete network, and delivers creative production (video, photography, branding, web) and Web3/NFT products for corporate clients, local governments, and sports federations.

Product overview

ZETA operates as a comprehensive urban sports entertainment company with a multi-product portfolio centered around its flagship media platforms FINEPLAY and CURRENT, complemented by major event properties including YOKOHAMA URBAN SPORTS FESTIVAL and regional URBAN SPORTS CAMP events. The company offers athlete management services, creative production capabilities, and digital products including NFT skateboards and the ZONE-X metaverse space. Services span media content, regional activation events, creative production, Web3/NFT offerings, and athlete representation across skateboarding, breaking, BMX, double dutch, parkour, and other urban sports disciplines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FINEPLAY: アーバンスポーツ専門メディア。 skateboarding, surfing, danceなど10種目以上を網羅し、ニュース・映像コンテンツを21の提携メディアへ配信。
• CURRENT
• ZONE-X

Products and services

• FINEPLAY Proprietary urban sports and street culture media platform covering 10+ disciplines including skateboarding, breaking, surfing, BMX, parkour, and dance, distributing news and video content to 20+ partner media outlets such as Yahoo! News, Sports Bull, and LINE News. Targeted at urban sports enthusiasts and brand marketers.
• CURRENT Skateboard culture-focused publishing platform operated by ZETA as a sub-brand alongside FINEPLAY for specialized skateboard content delivery to enthusiasts and brand collaborators.
• YOKOHAMA URBAN SPORTS FESTIVAL (YUSF) Annual flagship urban sports festival held over two days at Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse, featuring 7–8 disciplines (skateboarding, breaking, BMX flatland, double dutch, parkour, freestyle football, 3×3 basketball) plus experience zones, culture marketplace, and food areas; free-entry event attracting 65,000+ attendees. Sold to corporate sponsors, local government, and brand partners.
• URBAN SPORTS CAMP Sports tourism project delivering urban sports experiences (skateboarding, breaking, parkour, double dutch, freestyle football) to regional areas of Japan in partnership with local governments and surfing competitions for regional revitalization. Sold to municipal governments and tourism boards.
• KUMAMOTO URBAN SPORTS FES Regional urban sports festival held in Kikuyamachi, Kumamoto, featuring skateboard competitions including Kumamon Cup, breaking performances, and youth athlete development programs as part of the URBAN SPORTS CAMP regional initiative.
• VANSPO CUP Breaking battle event launched in Kumamoto in 2026 as part of the URBAN SPORTS CAMP regional initiative, held at AEON Mall Kumamoto.
• Athlete Management Services Professional athlete representation and management services for urban sports athletes, including sponsorship negotiations, media appearances, event participation coordination, and career development support. Sold to professional and aspiring athletes and their families.
• Creative Production Services Professional creative services including video production, photography, branding, web development, event planning, and marketing support for urban sports events and brand collaborations such as TIMBERLAND, SanDisk, Alcon, and Motorola Mobility Japan campaigns.
• ZONE-X Metaverse Space Urban sports-themed metaverse space built within the XANA platform, featuring recreated 3D breaking stages, parkour areas, and skateboarding parks for virtual event experiences and avatar interactions.
• NFT Skateboard (Metaverse-compatible) Digital collectible NFT skateboard items compatible with the XANA metaverse platform, developed in collaboration with Japanese street artists and sold as avatar-compatible digital goods.

Quantifiable outcome

• YOKOHAMA URBAN SPORTS FESTIVAL 2024 attracted 65,000 attendees over 2 days
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 株式会社トリデンテcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 November 2024Strategic partnership for promoting urban sports business across Asian regions. First event is OPEN! URBAN SPORTS FESTIVAL 2024 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Includes event planning, training facility development, and education programs.
• 株式会社BACKSIDEminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 August 2023Business partnership with snowboard media company for cross-sports content collaboration. ZETA CEO 財満栄治 appointed as Chief Business Development Officer of BACKSIDE.
• XANAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 July 2023Metaverse space development partnership for ZONE-X, an urban sports-themed virtual space in the XANA metaverse platform. Hosts YUSF metaverse events and virtual experiences.
• NOBORDER.z FZEcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2022Partnership for NFT and metaverse initiatives including the XANA platform and XANALIA NFT marketplace. Collaboration on urban sports-themed NFT collectibles and metaverse experiences.
• フュールメディア株式会社minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVideo production partnership for action sports content creation, working together on athlete video projects and brand collaborations.
• J&J 事業創造minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Bank of Craft project combining traditional crafts (Nishijin weaving) with urban sports (skateboards, kendama) for NFT collectibles.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sports Bull: Sports Bull is a Japanese digital sports media platform and one of FINEPLAY's content distribution partners, representing a comparable sports-media business model targeting Japanese audiences.
• The Berrics: The Berrics operates a leading skateboarding media platform, hosts events, and supports pro skater development — a smaller-scale North American parallel to how ZETA combines FINEPLAY media coverage with YUSF and athlete management.
• X Games: X Games is the premier action/urban sports event series with media and athlete management components, covering skateboarding, BMX, breaking, and other disciplines that overlap directly with ZETA's YUSF lineup.
• Teton Gravity Research: TGR is a leading action sports media brand producing films, web content, and events in mountain sports — comparable to FINEPLAY's role as Japan's niche action-sports editorial platform with multi-channel distribution.
• Wasserman: Wasserman is one of the world's largest sports marketing and athlete representation agencies, with deep action sports client books — directly comparable to ZETA's athlete management service combined with brand partnership work.
• Dew Tour: Dew Tour is a multi-sport action sports event series (skateboarding, BMX, snowboarding) with media and broadcast components, directly comparable to ZETA's YUSF event format and FINEPLAY content distribution approach.
• World Surf League: WSL operates a vertically integrated surf sports business combining live events, media content production, and athlete support — a close analogue for how ZETA packages Urban Sports Camp's surfing-integrated events alongside FINEPLAY content distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Red Bull Media House: Red Bull's media arm operates an integrated stack of athlete management, event production (Red Bull Rampage, Air Race, etc.), and owned media platforms — the global benchmark for the integrated urban/action sports business model ZETA is emulating in Japan.
• Endeavor: Endeavor (now TKO Group) owns IMG and WME, operating sports media, events, and athlete representation at global scale. It is the broad incumbent against which any integrated sports-media-and-talent company is benchmarked.
• IMG (now part of Endeavor): IMG operates global sports events, media production, and athlete management — a broad incumbent analogue to ZETA's integrated media + events + athlete management stack.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/zetaincjapan
• Facebookfacebook.com/zeta201604
• Instagraminstagram.com/zeta.inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Zeta