23 Individual Investors Including Kosuke Kitajima, Tadahiro Nomura, Kosei Inoue, and Yuki Ota, Along with Two Corporations, Participate

HALF TIME Inc. (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Yusuke Isoda), operator of the sports business PR and recruitment platform HALF TIME, is pleased to announce that as of June 30 it has raised approximately 100 million yen. The funding was secured through a third-party allotment of shares to 23 individual investors—including Kosuke Kitajima, Tadahiro Nomura, Kosei Inoue, and Yuki Ota—along with two corporations, as well as loans from two financial institutions.

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This Series A round marks the company’s first equity financing through a third-party allotment, as previous seed and early-stage growth had been achieved without such funding. With this capital, HALF TIME aims to expand its business through the growth of online services and the launch of overseas operations, with Asia positioned as a priority market. The company will focus on further improvements to UI/UX, development of new features, and marketing initiatives to acquire new customers and users. Looking ahead, HALF TIME also plans to actively pursue Series B and subsequent funding rounds to accelerate the realization of its mission.

Founded in August 2017 in the recruitment field, HALF TIME launched its web service in July 2019, providing a specialized media platform for sports business professionals as well as recruitment, PR, and branding services for corporations. Since then, the company has continued to grow, hosting the industry-leading HALF TIME Conference both online and offline, and from this August, launching an online academy to foster globally competitive sports business talent.

In addition, HALF TIME offers a wide range of corporate services covering recruitment, PR/branding, and partnerships. These include talent placement within the sports business, corporate PR and branding leveraging sports content, and matching between sports organizations and sponsors through side-job professionals.

Commenting on the funding, CEO Yusuke Isoda said:

“We are truly honored to receive investment from 23 individual investors and two corporations. As sports continue to gain value as leisure and entertainment, and serve as a symbol of recovery in the post-COVID era, we believe there will be strong long-term demand for a one-stop platform that provides diverse services centered on sports. With this funding, we will strive to deliver higher-quality services, enabling more companies and individuals to engage with sports, and contributing to the growth of sports as an industry.”

He added:

“Our goal is to go public within five years, delivering returns to our shareholders and partners, while also fostering a community among shareholders and creating new business opportunities. Together with all stakeholders, we aim to build win-win relationships that contribute to the further development of the sports world.”

HALF TIME will continue to globally expand its sports-related services under its mission: “Through sports, we create new value for organizations and individuals worldwide, and realize a society filled with purpose and fulfillment.”

Read the full press release on [PR TIMES]