May 17, 2023

KDDI Corporation

KDDI Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO Makoto Takahashi; hereinafter "KDDI") will make an additional investment in Cluster, Inc. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; CEO Naoto Kato; hereinafter "cluster"), the provider of the "cluster" metaverse platform through the KDDI Open Innovation Fund III (operated by Global Brain Corporation; hereinafter "KOIF III"), which aims to incubate new business co-creations with promising venture startups.

Cluster provides exciting experiences by hosting large-scale virtual events through the "cluster" platform which enables several thousand people to simultaneously connect in the metaverse. In addition, Cluster also holds events for corporations and has assembled a total of over 20 million people as of January 2023.
Thus far, Cluster and KDDI have planned and developed content such as virtual Halloween festivals which boasted a maximum total mobilization of 550,000 people in the "Virtual Shibuya" and "Virtual Osaka" city-linked metaverses.

Through this investment, KDDI will promote the realization of an open metaverse which is familiar and rooted in the daily lives of customers through the co-creation of projects between the "αU metaverse" provided by KDDI, where users can enjoy entertainment experiences and conversations with friends in the metaverse, and the many events, worlds, and game contents of "cluster."

As "the company that customers feel closest to," KDDI will continue to promote business co-creation through investment in promising startup companies, and create new business models together with customers and partners.

• ■Overview of Cluster, Inc.

  • (1)

    Company name: Cluster, Inc.

  • (2)

    Location: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo

  • (3)

    Representative: CEO Naoto Kato

  • (4)

    Founded: July 2015

  • (5)

    Business details: planning, development, and operation of the "cluster" metaverse platform

  • (6)

    • URL:

      https://corp.cluster.mu (in Japanese only)

• ■About KDDI Open Innovation Fund

  KDDI Open Innovation Fund is a corporate venture fund that supports a broad range of venture companies. The currently active KDDI Open Innovation Fund III focuses on the areas of AI, IoT, data marketing, fintech, B2B SaaS, and entertainment with a total operating fund of 20 billion yen.