The Dentsu Group Invests in ambr, a Japanese Startup That Develops VR-Related Businesses

Dentsu Group Inc. (Tokyo: 4324; ISIN: JP3551520004; President & CEO: Toshihiro Yamamoto; Head Office: Tokyo; Capital: 74,609.81 million yen; hereinafter referred to as “the Company”) announced today that it has made an investment in ambr, Inc. (CEO: Takuya Nishimura; Head Office: Tokyo; hereinafter “ambr”), the company which developed the “Virtual World ambr” VR platform business and the “ambr VR Studio” VR creative studio business.

The need for XR^*1 transformation has rapidly increased with the full-scale introduction of 5G (fifth-generation mobile communications system) and the accelerated adoption of digital technology driven by the spread of COVID-19.
ambr has deep knowledge and experience utilizing VR technology, and is engaged in end-user experience design and use case creation unique to VR. ambr’s strengths lie in creating community VR platforms and EXPO VR platforms that use a roaming virtual infrastructure on which users can move around in the VR space and that expand the worldview experience. ambr’s VR solutions support the construction of a virtual world that develops together with users and communities. The company develops VR platforms that make users want to visit repeatedly and invite new users.

Taking this investment as an opportunity, the Dentsu Group will combine ambr’s VR capabilities and leverage this across the business development capabilities, creativity, and networks unique to the Group to create new way of communicating with consumers using VR technology. While creating global interactions, the Group will accelerate the Group-wide promotion of R&D measures such as 3D advertising, commerce, and data management in the XR domain.

At the core of this initiative is the XR team at Dentsu Innovation Initiative (DII), a Dentsu Group Inc.’s in-house organization that promotes R&D of the entire Dentsu Group, across all 145 markets. By collaborating with XRX STUDIO^*2, a co-creative organization launched by five Dentsu Japan Network^*3 companies, namely Dentsu Inc., Dentsu Tec Inc., Dentsu Live Inc., Dentsu Digital Inc., and Information Services International-Dentsu, Ltd. (ISID), in February of this year, DII will engage in co-creation with client companies and partner companies and thereby realize their business growth together with that of the Dentsu Group.

Profile of ambr

Name:	ambr, Inc.
Location:	1F, S Building, 6-12-33 Daita, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
Date of Establishment:	August 15, 2018
Representative:	Takuya Nishimura, CEO
Line of Business:	VR platform business, VR creative studio business
URL	https://ambr.co.jp (Japanese language only)

DII: R&D policy in the XR domain

●What the XR team believes

At DII, we believe that XR technology will expand dimensions, senses, and spaces, making people’s lives around the world richer and more convenient. We will continue to work globally with outside partners to create valuable business foundations and solutions for the future.

*1 “XR” is a generic term of VR (Virtual Reality), AR (Augmented Reality) and MR (Mixed Reality), etc.

*2 Dentsu Japan Network (DJN) is an in-house company of Dentsu Group Inc., and supports around 130 operating companies in Japan. DJN also refers to the network itself consisting of these companies. URL: https://www.japan.dentsu.com/en/

*3 For more information on XRX STUDIO, please visit https://www.xrx.jp/ (Japanese language only)

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Contact for investment inquiries
Dentsu Innovation Initiative (within Dentsu Group Inc.)
E-mail: innovation-initiative@dentsu.co.jp

Contact for media inquiries
Shusaku Kannan
Executive Director
Group Corporate Communications Office
Dentsu Group Inc.
Telephone: +81 (3) 6217-6602
E-mail: s.kannan@dentsu.co.jp