Tokyo-based HEARTBEATS has raised approximately ¥2.3 billion, or about $15 million, in a Series C funding round led by the Artemis No.1 Investment Limited Partnership, which is managed by Artemis Ventures. The financing was completed through third-party share allotments conducted in July and August 2026. Vertex Ventures Japan also participated in the round.
A separate secondary transaction involving the sale of shares by existing shareholders to new investors totaled approximately ¥200 million, taking the overall transaction size to about ¥2.5 billion. HEARTBEATS said the Series C involved one lead investor and 13 follow-on investors, comprising eight new investors and six existing investors.
Established in November 2017, HEARTBEATS develops fan engagement products for the sports and entertainment industries. CEO Yuta Umezawa co-founded the company, originally known as ventus, while studying at the University of Tokyo. The company changed its name to HEARTBEATS in 2026.
Its core product, ORICAL, is a digital trading-card collection and fan engagement platform launched in June 2020. The platform enables sports teams and entertainment properties to offer digital cards and related experiences connected with games, live events and other fan activities.
As of September 2026, HEARTBEATS said its services were being used by 26 partners, including 10 professional baseball teams. The company has expanded beyond baseball into other sports and entertainment properties.
HEARTBEATS plans to use the new capital to expand ORICAL’s match-linked, collection and community features, develop products for new partners, launch additional businesses, and strengthen its engineering and operational teams. The company is also exploring areas around the wider fan value chain, including physical trading cards, digital merchandise, ticketing and membership management.
