Zaiko Inc., a provider of electronic ticket sales platforms (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Malek Nasser), has raised a total of $1 million (approximately 153 million yen) through a third-party allocation of new shares with North Base Media and Monex Ventures as underwriters in its Series A round. Zaiko is working towards closing its Series B round in early 2021, focusing on technology development and further business growth. 

■ Zaiko Leading the New Normal in the Entertainment Industry 
In response to the spread of the COVID-19 virus, many events have been canceled or postponed, and event operators and artists have lost venues to generate income from live performances and events. 
 
Amidst the impact of the pandemic on the entire entertainment industry, Zaiko launched a paid live streaming feature on March 6, 2020, one of the first in the industry, and hosted nearly 1,500 live streaming events in about four months, successfully selling tickets not only domestically but to users in over 30 countries worldwide. As of July 2020, the number of tickets sold for live streams via Zaiko amounted to approximately 500,000, supporting the overall entertainment industry, including event operators and artists, while creating new possibilities in the live business. 
 
After the resolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for offline events, as well as online streaming events, is expected to recover. Therefore, we will utilize the newly acquired funds to enhance our services accurately to meet the needs of both. 

■ Comments from Underwriters ​
・Sasa Vucinic, Co-founder of North Base Media
“We believe that Zaiko's innovative service enables every artist and creator to perform directly to viewers through the screen, allowing them to have complete control over every aspect of performance and monetization, thereby creating a new niche market in the industry. In fact, Zaiko has created a new form of event that stands right between live performance and recorded content. We are very excited to assist Zaiko in expanding this innovation globally and into other markets.” 

・Yo Nakagawa, Executive Officer of Monex Ventures
“We are focusing on Zaiko as the market leader in streaming events in Japan, and I am impressed with their ability to transform their business model in a matter of days and achieve profitability in a short period. Monex Ventures aims to support Zaiko in harnessing its full potential as a company.” 

■ Comment from Malek Nasser, CEO of Zaiko Inc. ​
“I am very pleased to have completed this funding round with wonderful partners such as North Base Media and Monex Ventures. I feel that through our future partnership with them, we can take our current business to greater heights.”