AkibaDreams GmbH
AkibaDreams GmbH organizes DoKomi, Germany's largest annual anime, manga, games, cosplay, J-pop, and Japanese culture expo, serving 215,000+ attendees at Messe Düsseldorf via an integrated online ticketing, exhibitor, and community platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersBonn, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What AkibaDreams GmbH does
AkibaDreams GmbH is a Bonn, Germany-based event management company that organizes DoKomi, Germany's largest anime, manga, games, cosplay, J-pop, and Japanese culture expo, held annually at Messe Düsseldorf. Founded in 2009, the company has scaled DoKomi from approximately 1,800 attendees in its inaugural year to over 215,000 in 2025, hosted across 235,000 square meters spanning 8 exhibition halls plus the Congress Center Süd. The event features Europe's largest Artist Alley with 750+ artists, 400+ commercial exhibitors, 1,500+ fan booths, and an extensive program comprising cosplay contests, gaming tournaments, evening events (Cosplay Ball, J-Rave, Akuma no Mori), workshops, and international star guest appearances across music, manga, and VTubing.
The company operates a digital platform comprising its primary tri-lingual website (dokomi.de in German, English, and Japanese), a dedicated mobile application for iOS and Android used for schedule management and exhibitor browsing, an online exhibitor application portal (exhibitors.dokomi.de), and the MyDoKomi schedule tool. Since 2023, ticketing has been handled exclusively online via TicketPay, with PayPal and Klarna as payment options. The company's distinctive "Pay what you want" crowdfunding ticketing component allows attendees to voluntarily contribute above the base ticket price (€39–€95 depending on tier) to unlock goodie rewards and VIP tier perks including early entry, VIP lounge access, and priority queues.
AkibaDreams generates revenue through four primary streams: ticket sales (3-day passes, day tickets, and add-on evening events), commercial exhibitor booth fees (400+ exhibitors), discounted fan booth and creator table fees (1,500+ booths), and sponsorship income from approximately 50+ brands per edition, including Riot Games, Mazda, JAL, Kotobukiya, Prusa, SecretLab, Wacom, and Kryolan. The company is founder-owned and led by three main organizers — Andreas Degen, Benjamin Schulte, and Vincent Freudenreich — operating with a lean core team of 7 employees supplemented by a broader functional management group covering Japan relations, press, marketing, fan booths, exhibitors, fashion, and crew/stages. Strategic partnerships with Sony and Foto Koch (photography workshops), Atelier 51 (immersive cosplay sets), and Messe Düsseldorf (venue) round out the operational ecosystem.
AkibaDreams GmbH firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AkibaDreams GmbH
- Legal name
- AkibaDreams GmbH
- Website
- https://dokomi.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- AkibaDreams GmbH organizes DoKomi, Germany's largest annual anime, manga, games, cosplay, J-pop, and Japanese culture expo, serving 215,000+ attendees at Messe Düsseldorf via an integrated online ticketing, exhibitor, and community platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AkibaDreams GmbH industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Event Organization and Convention Services
- NAICS
- Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Consumer & Public Shows (B2C) Organizers (THAHABAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Retail, Consumer Goods & Lifestyle Shows Organizers (THAHABAJ), Festival & Event Producers/Organizers (MPAIAFAC)
Keywords
Where AkibaDreams GmbH is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bonn
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
AkibaDreams GmbH business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Event Ticket Sales: AkibaDreams generates primary revenue through the sale of event tickets for DoKomi. Ticket types include 3-day tickets, day tickets (Friday, Saturday, Sunday), and add-on event tickets for evening programs (Cosplay Ball, J-Rave, Akuma no Mori). A crowdfunding component ('Pay what you want') built into the ticketing system allows customers to voluntarily contribute above the base price, unlocking goodie rewards at tiered thresholds. VIP ticket tiers with perks (early entry, VIP lounge access, priority queue) are also unlocked through the crowdfunding mechanism. Ticket pricing ranges from approximately €39–€95 depending on ticket type and early-bird vs. standard pricing periods. Since 2023, tickets are sold exclusively online via TicketPay.
- Commercial Exhibitor Booth Fees: AkibaDreams charges commercial exhibitors (retailers, publishers, brands) fees for booth space at DoKomi. The company uses an online application portal for exhibitor registration, with pricing based on booth size and services selected. DoKomi 2025 featured 400+ commercial exhibitors across 8 halls plus the Congress Center Süd.
- Fan Booth and Creator Table Fees: Artists, community project organizers, cosplay photographers, content creators, and indie designers can rent fan booth and creator table spaces at discounted rates designed to support smaller operators. Fan booth applications and creator table applications are managed through separate application windows via the exhibitor portal. DoKomi 2025 featured 1500+ fan booths.
- Workshop Leader and Event Program Fees: Workshop leaders receive complimentary 3-day passes and discounted assistant tickets in exchange for leading workshops. While workshop leadership itself is not charged, the program drives engagement and footfall across event areas, indirectly supporting exhibitor and ticket revenue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | 3-Day Ticket — full weekend access (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Saturday & Sunday Ticket — two-day weekend access |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Friday Single-Day Ticket |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Saturday Single-Day Ticket |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Sunday Single-Day Ticket |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Cosplay Ball — evening event add-on ticket |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | J-Rave — evening event add-on ticket |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Akuma no Mori — evening event add-on ticket |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | VIP Ticket — unlocked via crowdfunding / Pay what you want system |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free admission — children up to 8 years |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels10 records
AkibaDreams GmbH product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AkibaDreams GmbH organizes and operates DoKomi, Germany's largest annual anime, manga, games, cosplay, J-pop, and Japanese culture expo held at Messe Düsseldorf. The core product is a three-day convention with 50+ program areas featuring cosplay contests, Europe's largest Artist Alley with 750+ artists, gaming tournaments, workshops, evening events (Cosplay Ball, J-Rave, Akuma no Mori), and 400+ commercial exhibitors. The company sells event tickets through a crowdfunding-based ticketing system via TicketPay and rents booth space to commercial exhibitors and fan booth operators.
Product overview
AkibaDreams GmbH operates DoKomi, Germany's largest anime and Japan expo held annually in Düsseldorf. The core product is the three-day DoKomi convention featuring anime, manga, games, cosplay, and Japanese culture. The event encompasses multiple integrated sub-products: the main convention with stage shows and cultural programming, the DoKomi App for schedule management, Europe's largest Artist Alley with 750+ artists, the J-Rave music/clubbing event, the DoKomi Cosplay Ball formal evening event, Gaming Stage with e-sports tournaments, cosplay contests and workshops, Fashion Area with J-fashion, themed cafés (Maid-Café, Host Club), VTuber Area, community meet-ups, and various competitions (drawing, AMV, dance, karaoke). The company also facilitates creator participation through Creator Tables and Workshop programs, while managing ticket sales via TicketPay. In 2026, J-Rave celebrates its 15th anniversary with a special two-evening event.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- DoKomi Convention Germany's largest anime, manga, games, cosplay, J-pop, and Japan expo held annually at Messe Düsseldorf. A three-day festival featuring stage shows, international star guests, fan projects, Europe's largest Artist Alley with 750+ artists, 400+ commercial exhibitors, and 50+ program areas for anime and Japanese culture enthusiasts.
- DoKomi Mobile App Standalone mobile application available on iOS App Store and Google Play Store enabling DoKomi attendees to view the event schedule, browse the exhibitor list, access community information, and plan their visit.
- DoKomi Cosplay Ball Separately ticketed evening event (€35) held at Stadthalle Düsseldorf featuring dance, festive glamour, and artistic cosplay costumes for adults (18+). Includes workshops, professional photography, and show acts. Requires a separate ticket from the main convention ticket.
- J-Rave Separately ticketed evening event (€25) featuring a disco party with anime, Vocaloid, and Japanese beats performed by DJs. In 2026, celebrates its 15th anniversary over two evenings (Friday and Saturday).
- Akuma no Mori Separately ticketed adults-only (18+) evening program (€25) inviting visitors to the Demon Forest with mature-themed spooky entertainment.
- Workshop Program Workshop program covering topics like illustration, manga, and other creative skills. Workshop leaders receive complimentary 3-day passes in exchange for leading sessions, supporting attendee skill development at the convention.
- Sony x Foto Koch Photography Workshops Partner-led photography and videography workshops covering cosplay photography, dance competition photography, J-Rave event photography, portrait sessions, and video basics using Sony equipment.
- Creator Tables Rental tables for creators and artists to sell their work at the convention. Includes Connect Tickets and Creator Lounge access, supporting indie designers, fan artists, and content creators with a platform to reach attendees.
- Commercial Exhibitor Booths Booth space rental for commercial exhibitors (publishers, retailers, brands) with pricing based on booth size and services selected. DoKomi 2025 featured 400+ commercial exhibitors across 8 halls plus the Congress Center Süd.
- Fan Booth Rentals Discounted booth rentals for fan booth operators, including community projects, cosplay photographers, content creators, and indie designers. DoKomi 2025 featured 1,500+ fan booths. Applications are managed through separate application windows via the exhibitor portal.
Quantifiable outcome
- Attendance grew from 1,800+ in 2009 to 215,000+ in 2025, demonstrating consistent year-over-year growth over 17 editions.
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use AkibaDreams GmbH
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
AkibaDreams GmbH technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
Feature4 records
AkibaDreams GmbH partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Messe Düsseldorf GmbHcoreDoKomi is held at Messe Düsseldorf, Stockumer Kirchstraße 61, 40474 Düsseldorf. AkibaDreams GmbH organizes its annual event at this large exhibition venue, utilizing multiple halls and the Congress Center Süd. Messe Düsseldorf is a major German trade fair company that provides the physical infrastructure for the event.
- TicketPay (TicketPAY Europe GmbH)coreSince 2023, AkibaDreams has partnered with TicketPay as its ticketing platform provider. TicketPay provides the online ticketing shop, payment processing (including PayPal and Klarna), ticket delivery (e-tickets and optional physical tickets), order management, and a resale shop for ticket transfers. A per-ticket service fee is charged for this service.
- SonyminorSony partnered with DoKomi and Foto Koch to offer a series of photography and videography workshops at DoKomi 2026. The workshops cover cosplay photography, dance competition photography, J-Rave event photography, self-portrait sessions, and video basics. Sony provides equipment (cameras and lenses) for attendees to test during the workshops, and DoKomi provides the venue and participant registration framework.
- Foto KochminorFoto Koch, a photography retailer and studio, co-organized photography workshops with Sony at DoKomi 2026. The workshops were led by Berlin-based photographer and videographer Mike Suminski and featured TimbreCosplay as a model. Foto Koch provided equipment and expertise for the cosplay and event photography workshops.
- Atelier 51minorAtelier 51 provided immersive Arcane-themed sets designed specifically for cosplay and character photography at DoKomi 2026. These sets were used for cosplay photography workshops (portrait sessions, self-portrait workshops) organized in collaboration with Sony and Foto Koch.
- Mike SuminskiminorBerlin-based photographer and videographer Mike Suminski served as workshop leader for Sony x Foto Koch photography and videography workshops at DoKomi 2026, including cosplay photography, dance competition photography, J-Rave event photography, and video basics workshops.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
AkibaDreams GmbH competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- MCM Comic Con: UK-headquartered pop-culture convention series spanning comic, anime, gaming and cosplay; comparable in being a multi-genre fan expo with exhibitors and cosplay contests, but with broader pop-culture scope and smaller per-event scale than DoKomi.
- Gamescom: World's largest gaming expo, held at Koelnmesse; comparable as a large-scale German Messe-organized public entertainment expo with hundreds of thousands of attendees, exhibitor halls and stage programming, but focused on gaming rather than anime/Japan culture.
Direct peers
- Connichi: German anime convention held in Kassel, organized by the Animexx community; comparable to DoKomi as a multi-day German anime/Japan expo with similar fan demographic, exhibitor marketplace and cosplay focus, though at a smaller scale.
- Japan Expo: Largest anime/Japan convention in Europe, held in Paris; direct competitor in the same product category (multi-day Japan-culture expo with exhibitor halls, Artist Alley, concerts and cosplay) and the benchmark event against which DoKomi's 215,000+ attendance is measured.
- Made in Asia: Switzerland's leading anime/Japan expo, held annually in Lausanne; comparable in concept (multi-day convention for anime/manga/Japan culture with exhibitors, Artist Alley, cosplay and concerts), competing for European fans and exhibitors.
- AnimeCon: Dutch anime convention held in Driebergen; comparable multi-day expo targeting anime/manga/cosplay fans with exhibitor marketplace and stage programming, competing for the same Benelux/German fan demographic.
- AnimagiC: Germany's second major anime/Japan convention, held annually in Mannheim; directly comparable to DoKomi in audience (anime/manga/cosplay fans) and format (multi-day expo with exhibitors and Artist Alley), but operates at smaller scale.
- Polymanga: Swiss anime/manga convention held in Lausanne; comparable format to DoKomi with multi-day programming, exhibitor halls and cosplay focus, competing for the same pan-European fan travel pool.
Regional players
- AniNite: Austrian anime convention held in Vienna; comparable anime/Japan expo format with exhibitor halls and cosplay programming, serving the Austrian/German-speaking fan market adjacent to DoKomi's core geography.
- Hyper Japan: UK's flagship Japan-culture event held in London; directly comparable format (multi-day expo with exhibitors, J-fashion, food, music and cosplay) but primarily serves UK audiences rather than directly competing with DoKomi in Germany.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
AkibaDreams GmbH social profiles
Digital presenceAkibaDreams GmbH financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AkibaDreams GmbH leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
AkibaDreams GmbH funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AkibaDreams GmbH 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 AkibaDreams GmbH
What does AkibaDreams GmbH do?
AkibaDreams GmbH organizes and operates DoKomi, Germany's largest annual anime, manga, games, cosplay, J-pop, and Japanese culture expo held at Messe Düsseldorf. The core product is a three-day convention with 50+ program areas featuring cosplay contests, Europe's largest Artist Alley with 750+ artists, gaming tournaments, workshops, evening events (Cosplay Ball, J-Rave, Akuma no Mori), and 400+ commercial exhibitors. The company sells event tickets through a crowdfunding-based ticketing system via TicketPay and rents booth space to commercial exhibitors and fan booth operators.
Is AkibaDreams GmbH a public or private company?
AkibaDreams GmbH is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was AkibaDreams GmbH founded?
AkibaDreams GmbH was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is AkibaDreams GmbH based?
AkibaDreams GmbH is headquartered in Bonn, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does AkibaDreams GmbH make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Event Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are commercial Exhibitor Booth Fees, fan Booth and Creator Table Fees and workshop Leader and Event Program Fees.
Who are AkibaDreams GmbH's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are MCM Comic Con and Gamescom. Direct peers are Connichi, Japan Expo, Made in Asia, AnimeCon, AnimagiC and Polymanga. Regional players are AniNite and Hyper Japan.
Does AkibaDreams GmbH have an API?
No public API is recorded for AkibaDreams GmbH.
What industry is AkibaDreams GmbH in?
AkibaDreams GmbH's product category is Event Organization and Convention Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHABAC, Consumer & Public Shows (B2C) Organizers, with a secondary code of THAHABAJ, Retail, Consumer Goods & Lifestyle Shows Organizers. Its NAICS code is 561920 and its SIC code is 7990.