Makes Strategic Investment in i-Pairs to Accelerate Growth in Virtual Entertainment Market

February 25, 2026

Yamaha Corporation (hereinafter "Yamaha" or "the Company") announces that it has made an investment through private placement in i-Pairs Inc. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Mamoru Ito; hereinafter "i-Pairs") with the aim of accelerating business expansion in the rapidly growing virtual entertainment market, including initiatives in the GPAP*1 business. This investment is part of "Evolving to Create the Future," one of the key strategies outlined in Yamaha's medium-term management plan.

The virtual entertainment market, encompassing live performances and content created using real-time CG, motion capture, and digital production technologies, is expected to experience significant global growth over the next decade and is one of the areas of focus for the Company. In Japan as well, new large-scale music and sports venues are scheduled for construction or renovation, and demand for content including virtual entertainment as a means of steadily attracting audiences is expected to increase further.

i-Pairs is highly regarded within the industry as a company capable of handling virtual entertainment events consistently from planning through production and promotion. To date, Yamaha has collaborated with i-Pairs by integrating the Company's "General Purpose Audio Protocol (GPAP)" with i-Pairs' "n-Links Retarget"*2 to jointly develop new technologies that enable versatile recording, editing and playback in virtual production, including motion capture used in live performances by VTubers*3 and virtual characters.

Through this investment, the two companies will leverage their respective strengths in the virtual entertainment field to further streamline content production processes and promote the hosting and distribution of live events, thereby accelerating business growth for both parties.

"This newly established capital partnership encourages us to further deepen our collaboration with Yamaha Corporation," said Mamoru Ito, CEO of i-Pairs Inc. "Virtual entertainment is a new creative domain where music and technology intersect. By combining the strengths of GPAP and n-Links, we will drive innovation in production processes and create new live experiences, while advancing our efforts to establish a next-generation entertainment platform for audiences in Japan and around the world."

"Even in an era of rapid digitalization, the power of sound and music holds universal value in supporting people's creativity and inspiring emotion," said Masamitsu Kitase, operating officer and senior general manager of the New Business Development Division at Yamaha Corporation. "We view virtual entertainment as an important field for delivering that power to society in new ways. Through our collaboration with i-Pairs Inc., we will strive to create new experiences where real and virtual blend, harnessing the power of sound and digital technologies."

Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Representative: Mamoru Ito, CEO

Business description: Music and audio-related businesses; 3DCG video production; website production; IT consulting; software development; service planning and operational support; Web promotion support, etc.

Number of employees: 23 (as of February 2026) Paid-in capital: ¥40,000,000

*1 General Purpose Audio Protocol (GPAP) is a technology developed by Yamaha that enables various types of data including audio, video and lighting data to be recorded, played back and edited as audio data (WAV files).

*2 n-Links Retarget is a next-generation retargeting software developed by i-Pairs, incorporating natural retargeting processing based on its extensive experience in motion capture recording for live events, TV programs and films. The software offers operator-friendly usability, multi-platform compatibility with lightweight performance enabling tablet operation, as well as stability and redundancy suitable for long-duration recording.

*3 VTubers are digitally created performers represented by animated avatars, who engage audiences through live and interactive performances both online and offline.

For further information, please contact:

Yamaha Corporation

Corporate Communications Division, Media Relations Group

Contact form: https://inquiry.yamaha.com/contact/?act=55&lcl=en_WW