Kun Gao, founder and former CEO of Crunchyroll, has launched AniBiz, a new global anime B2B marketplace designed to streamline licensing and unlock access to anime intellectual property (IP) worldwide.
Developed by Gao’s anime-focused media company Nakama, AniBiz.com is described as “the first dedicated B2B marketplace built specifically for the global anime industry.” The platform aims to modernize how anime licensing is conducted by offering a centralized, secure digital environment for rights holders, distributors, and global buyers.
AniBiz is led by Nakama co-founder and president Kun Gao, co-founder and CEO Brady McCollum, and co-founder Sae Whan Song. Together, they are targeting long-standing inefficiencies in anime licensing, where deals are often fragmented across territories, formats, and timelines, and heavily dependent on industry relationships.
“Anime licensing is uniquely complex. Rights are fragmented across territories, formats, products, and time windows,” Nakama co-founder and CEO McCollum said. “AniBiz was built specifically for those realities. We’re creating a trusted system that gives licensors greater visibility and control while helping buyers move faster with confidence.”
At launch, AniBiz has secured participation from major anime licensors and industry players, including Toei Animation, Aniplex of America, TV Tokyo, Avex Pictures, Fuji Creative Corporation, Tokyo Broadcasting System, and Dentsu Anime Solutions, among others. This positions the platform as a significant new hub for global anime licensing deals.
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The launch comes as the global anime market is expected to exceed $35 billion, driven by rising international demand for anime content, merchandise, and collaborations. However, the current licensing ecosystem remains highly fragmented, limiting access for new entrants and slowing deal-making across regions.
AniBiz addresses these challenges by providing a verified, digital-first marketplace where global buyers can directly discover, negotiate, and secure anime IP rights. The platform also offers data-driven insights into market trends and territory-specific demand, enabling more informed global licensing strategies.
“For decades, access to anime IP has largely depended on who you know,” co-founder and president Gao said. “By being the official marketplace for Anime IP, AniBiz.com opens the door to entirely new categories of partners… from emerging brands and manufacturers to creators, events, and startups looking to participate in the anime economy.”
By lowering barriers to entry, AniBiz aims to expand participation in the anime industry beyond traditional players, supporting both established companies and new businesses looking to license anime content or collaborate on IP-driven projects.
Co-founder and head of business development Song emphasized the platform’s role in unifying the industry under one digital roof.
“The anime industry finally has a dedicated platform to call its home for all things B2B. In true Nakama spirit, AniBiz.com enables the entire industry to band together and engage directly with the new world of global partners interested in working with anime IP. Through the AniBiz platform, all the world can now reach the anime industry in one official place.”
With AniBiz now live and open to global users, Nakama is positioning the platform as a foundational layer for the future of anime licensing — one that aligns with the industry’s rapid global growth and increasing demand for accessible, scalable business infrastructure.
