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Metaps raises $36 million to research smarter AI for better UA

Goal to become the world's brain

Metaps raises $36 million to research smarter AI for better UA

Japanese UA platform Metaps has announced $36 million in Series C funding.

The Android-focused network has been riding the wave of strong growth in the lucrative Japanese market that's seen the decimation of DeNA and GREE as distribution channels, replaced by Google Play and the App Store.

Its platform currently reaches over 100 million users across apps and games that have been downloaded a total of 1.2 billion times.

Mysteriously Metaps won't say who its funders are, merely stating it's got the cash from existing and multiple new stakeholders in Japan as well as a Silicon Valley venture capital firm.

It says it will announce details about the "new business partnerships" it's formed later in 2015.

Smart money

In terms of the impact the investment will have on its business, Metaps says it will further research into the artificial intelligence that will enable it to "improving the accuracy of automated processes".

We are expanding into a solutions provider for all e-commerce companies and smart device developers.
Katsuaki Sato

To ensure this, it will be aggressive hiring AI experts and investing in research.

It's also expanding the scale of Spike, its zero-commission online payment service.

Not directly connected to its mobile UA business, Metaps hopes Spike will become an "all-encompassing financial service" and not limited to online payments.

"At this stage of our growth we felt the timing was right to bring in more outside funding to help our AI and financial services initiatives reach the next level," commented CEO Katsuaki Sato.

"We are already a trusted monetization partner for app developers worldwide, and we are expanding into a solutions provider for all e-commerce companies and smart device developers."


Contributing Editor

A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon is Contributing Editor at PG.biz which means he acts like a slightly confused uncle who's forgotten where he's left his glasses. As well as letters and cameras, he likes imaginary numbers and legumes.