Having announced the expansion of its global VTuber business, Nippon TV‘ｓ group company ClaN Entertainment Inc. has signed a capital and business alliance agreement with Sanrio Company, Ltd. The capital and business alliance brings ClaN’s total amount raised to 850 million yen.
Under the slogan “Entertainment changes your life”, ClaN has been developing its influencer business, including VTubers, and has continued to grow its business since its establishment in April 2022, increasing its presence in the VTuber market. Sanrio promotes its entertainment business globally under the corporate philosophy “Minna Nakayoku” (Getting Along Together) and the vision “One World, Connecting Smiles”, which means making as many people smile as possible and spreading the circle of happiness around the world.
ClaN and Sanrio launched a joint VTuber project “Nyantasia!” and debuted three new VTubers in December 2023 and three more in May 2024. In the process, the two companies have been discussing the possibility of collaboration and have reached this capital and business alliance with a view to further strengthening their alliance in the VTuber and Metaverse domains.
As competition in the VTuber market intensifies both domestically and internationally, Sanrio, a global entertainment company, and ClaN, which has been involved in a wide variety of VTuber content such as programs, events, and promotional measures, will form a business alliance with a stronger bond between the two companies through this business alliance, and will further grow their respective businesses in the VTuber and Metaverse domains and expand globally to achieve this goal.
By leveraging the strengths of both companies, ClaN Entertainment will create new content in the VTuber and Metaverse domains and provide “Entertainment that changes your life” to the world.
Tomokuni Tsuji, President and CEO, Sanrio Company, Ltd commented, “As the way we enjoy content changes with the times, VTubers are attracting attention for their ability to provide high-frequency and interactive experiences, and VTubers are expected to become market drivers not only in traditional YouTube distribution, but also in XR, Web3 and other areas. We believe that the VTuber business will become a core business in our digital strategy. Sanrio’s medium-term management plan calls for the expansion of its IP portfolio and multi-layered monetization. Through the capital and business alliance with ClaN, which has expertise in the VTuber business and relationships with VTubers, we will develop digital services that provide new value to creators in Japan and overseas, and ultimately bring new smiles to their faces.”
Motoyuki Oi, President and CEO, ClaN Entertainment Inc. also said “We are very pleased to have formed a capital and business alliance with Sanrio, with whom we have worked together for some time through projects. By combining ClaN’s expertise in the VTuber business with the knowledge of Sanrio, which continues to develop its IP business globally, we will create new entertainment and accelerate business expansion. We are also convinced that VTuber is a content that compete on a global scale, and we will use this partnership as a starting point to expand our business globally. With “Entertainment that changes your life” in mind, I believe in the power of VTubers will bring smiles to people around the world!”
