Kun Gao, the influential co-founder and former CEO of Crunchyroll, has launched AniBiz.com, a new online platform aimed at revolutionizing anime intellectual property licensing. Operating under Gao's media company Nakama, where he serves as co-founder and president, AniBiz is positioned as the first dedicated business-to-business marketplace specifically built for the global anime industry.
The AniBiz platform officially went live this week, designed to bridge the gap between anime IP rights holders—including studios and production committees—and a wide array of potential licensees. These licensees encompass consumer brands, manufacturers, distributors, retailers, startups, creators, game studios, and other entertainment companies seeking to leverage anime content and characters.
Gao expressed that AniBiz aims to make the licensing discovery and matchmaking process more transparent and efficient than traditional methods. The platform boasts a database covering thousands of anime series, facilitating introductions between parties. Participating rights holders listed on the site include major industry players such as Toei Animation, Pony Canyon, Aniplex, and TOHO Global, among many others.
AniBiz offers various access tiers for licensees. A free basic tier allows users to create a profile searchable by licensors, while a $49 per month 'Pro' subscription grants access to a data feed with titles, production committees, and additional information. A more bespoke tier is also available for companies with specific needs. Gao believes the platform will unlock new categories of partners and significantly expand the number of licensees engaging with the anime economy worldwide. Nakama co-founder and CEO Brady McCollum and co-founder Sae Whan Song, who has prior experience at Toei Animation and Viz Media, are also key figures in the AniBiz venture. Source: Anime News Network(https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2026-07-06/crunchyroll-co-founder-former-ceo-kun-gao-launches-anibiz-platform-for-anime-licensing/.239248)
