Fnatic raise $17m to further expansion into Asia

UK-based esports organisation Fnatic have raised $17m in investment from a Japanese conglomerate to aid their expansion into Asia.

The financial raise comes from trading and investment conglomerate Marubeni, who will also work with Fnatic in a “strategic partnership” aimed at establishing the org in the Asia-Pacific market.

The UK team claim that they have increased their revenues by 80% in the past year and hope to continue the trend with this extra support.

They will utilize the funds by expanding their base of operations in Japan, relocating their team in Rainbow Six Siege to the facility when possible.

As well as Siege, Fnatic compete in League of Legends, Valorant, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and FIFA. They also field a team in Dota 2 that’s made up of players from the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand.

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Last year the organization made headlines with their crowdfunding initiative. Alongside a $10m raise from private investors, they amassed a total of £1.78m from 3,450 fans and supporters to put towards facilities, academies, products, and performance.

“We’re so excited to have the strategic know-how of Marubeni leading this funding round,” said Fnatic CEO Sam Mathews. “Marubeni’s knowledge of Japan’s business landscape will be a huge asset to Fnatic as we expand our commitment to APAC.”