FanAI, the leading performance sponsorship data platform, announced today the closing of its $8m Series A funding round led by Japanese business conglomerate, Marubeni Corporation, to support FanAI’s continued expansion and growth.
The latest investment, which saw participation from Allectus Capital, CRCM Ventures, Courtside Ventures, GC Tracker Fund, M Ventures, Sterling VC, and GFR Fund, brings the total raised capital to over $12.5 million for the Santa Monica-based data analytics firm.
FanAI connects fan data to purchase, social and streaming data to drive better business outcomes for rights-holders and brands. This unique combination of data enables purchase-based audience targeting as well as comparing the sales impact of fan bases across an entire sponsorship portfolio.
Measurement based on real purchase data also provides a common denominator for brand CMOs to compare spend outcomes across sponsorships and digital media.
“We couldn’t imagine a better strategic investor than Marubeni to help realize our business objectives in a brand new market,” said Johannes Waldstein, CEO of FanAI. “Marubeni has forged incredibly strong business relationships throughout the region, and with this partnership we are positioned to expand our team and continue to build out our self serve sponsorship data platform.”
“Digital measurement based on real purchase data is a tremendous opportunity for brands as they optimize spend outcomes across entertainment and sports,” said Daniel Welt of Marubeni. “Marubeni’s Next Generation Business Development sees FanAI as a strategic partner for the APAC region to bring leading platform analytics to that market.”
About FanAI
FanAI is the leading sponsorship data platform, that drives better business outcomes for rights-holders and brands. The unique combination of fan data with purchase, social and streaming data, enables clients to improve sponsorship and digital media effectiveness across sports & entertainment. Measurement based on real purchase data also provides a common denominator for brand CMO’s to compare spend outcomes across sponsorships and digital media.
Clients include: Capcom, HiRez Studios, 100 Thieves, NYXL, Philadelphia Fusion and Gen G. For more information, visit http://fan.ai
About Marubeni Corporation
Marubeni Corporation is a publicly traded Japanese trading house (“Sogo Shosha”) with business lines across wide-ranging fields including lifestyle, ICT & real estate business, forest products, food, agri business, chemicals, power, energy, metals & mineral resources, plant, aerospace & ship, finance & leasing business, construction, auto & industrial machinery, and next generation business development. Marubeni is a truly global company with 136 branches and offices in 67 countries and regions, consisting of 12 Japan branches and offices, 57 overseas branches and offices and 29 overseas corporate subsidiaries with 67 offices.
About Marubeni Next Generation Business Development
The Next Generation Business Development Division (“NextGen”) is Marubeni Corporation’s innovation department. NextGen sponsored and created Marubeni Ventures, Inc. (“MVI”), which is Marubeni’s Corporate Venture group, and actively pursues corporate development in esports/Entertainment, Wellness, Fintech, SmartCity and other areas critical to Marubeni’s growth through 2030. NextGen also houses Marubeni’s Data Science group, which applies AI/ML/Data Science to internal business problems and opportunities.
