REJECT, a professional e-sports team launched in 2018 and operated by REJECT Corporation, ranked first in Japan in terms of accumulated prize money in 2021, and owns a total of five divisions, including PUBG MOBILE and VALORANT. REJECT is led by Z Venture Capital Corporation as lead investor, Jafco Group Inc. as managing partner, East Ventures as managing partner, and new investors Yogibo Inc. Ltd., Adways Ventures Inc. and six other individual investors as lead investors.
Professional e-sports team "REJECT" announces fundraising of 300 million yen!
REJECT, a professional e-sports team, has announced that it has raised approximately 300 million yen in funding. The purpose of this fundraising is to invest in the acquisition and development of e-sports players and human resources, as well as to build a brand in the gaming culture field. The company will actively invest in the acquisition and training of human resources for further business growth in the future, and will aim to spread the " gaming experiences that color your life " that REJECT stands for. We are also developing new media and various competitions to spread REJECT's vision of "Gaming Experiences that Color Your Life. The company aims to expand its fan base through various experience measures that enrich and color lives so that everyone can find their place in the world through gaming experiences. With the 300 million yen in funding raised this time, "REJECT" has raised a cumulative total of 700 million yen.
Comments from Shoya Kouyama, Representative Director of REJECT Co.
PR TIMESREJECT, Inc. is now in its 5th year since its establishment in 2018, and has about 30 employees. When the company was founded, we were still students and started as a small private business with only a desire to "have the value of e-sports players recognized". I am deeply moved by the fact that REJECT has grown to what it is today. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to our existing shareholders who have continued to invest in REJECT, and to the investors who have decided to invest in REJECT because they believe in its future potential. We will make further efforts to become an indispensable presence in society.
Taku Uchimaru, Investment Manager, Z Venture Capital Co.
PR TIMESWe are very pleased to make an additional investment in this round, and we believe the appeal of REJECT is that Mr. Kouyama is deeply involved in the e-sports community and attracts great players, staff, and management team. REJECT has grown significantly since our last investment, becoming the No. 1 prize winner in Japan in FY2022. We expect to further expand the e-sports market in Japan by entering not only the competitive scene but also the game talent business. From No. 1 in Japan to the world's No. 1 e-sports team. As a shareholder, we will fully support REJECT's challenge.
Masato Watanabe, Principal, West Japan Branch, Jafco Group Inc.
PR TIMESWe have made an additional investment in this round as we did in the previous round. As we have been working side by side since the last round, I feel that President Kouyama's passion for the business and commitment to management has become even stronger as the e-sports market expands. In terms of our business, we have secured powerful sponsors such as Yogibo, and we have maintained a strong presence in the competitive scene with PUBG Mobile. Together with existing investors and new investors who participated in this round, we remain fully committed to enhancing REJECT's corporate value.
Seiji Kimura, CEO and Representative Director of Yogibo Co.
PR TIMESYogibo is a global company that markets the "Yogibo" brand. We are very pleased to invest in REJECT. This is the first venture investment for Yogibo. REJECT has a strong, world-class team, and stands out as a company at the forefront of the e-sports space with a strong focus on design and fashion. As a company that offers cutting-edge products, we feel a strong affinity with REJECT and have decided to invest in the company in the hope that it will help REJECT take a giant leap forward. We believe that Mr. Kouyama's vigor and vitality for growth, as well as the strong members of REJECT, will take e-sports to the next level. I would like to continue to actively support REJECT as a fellow member with the same aspirations. We look forward to your continued support.
Koichi Maruo Comment
PR TIMESWe are pleased to invest in this project to support young business owners who are working on a new industry. REJECT is serious about industrializing e-sports and has the potential to create a new market, including employment. Mr. Kouyama is a young manager, but he has been a professional e-sports player himself, and he is also engaged in friendly competition to strengthen the excellent e-sports players of his generation from a perspective similar to that of the players themselves. We are confident that he will continue to drive the business forward in this new market.
Yuki Ishikawa Comment
PR TIMESI have felt the heat and market potential of the e-sports domain since my previous job as a tweener. I met with Mr. Kouyama, the president of REJECT, and was impressed by his ability to create business. I would like to wholeheartedly support and encourage REJECT's challenge to contribute to the development of e-sports and make it a world-class industry.
Shota Iwasaki Comment
PR TIMESI play e-sports as a hobby. I was familiar with REJECT before I invested in it. I was surprised when I found out that the team is led by a young man younger than myself. As a game fan and an e-sports fan, it is my dream that an e-sports team will be born in Japan that will go on to become a world-class team. I invested in this project purely out of a desire to support it.