KIDS STAR Inc. has published an IR interview outlining its growth strategy centered on the children's social-experience app ごっこランド. The interview discusses its real-world expansion through ごっこランドEXPO and the potential for expansion in Asia, among other long-term growth initiatives.
KIDS STAR Inc. operates the children's social-experience app ごっこランド as its core business, along with the local-experience guidebook ジモトガイド and ごっこランドEXPO, and provides marketing and branding support. Cumulative downloads have exceeded 7 million, with approximately 80 participating companies. The company also emphasizes a growth cycle involving children and parents, companies and employees.
The business model is characterized by using companies' participation fees as its primary source of revenue, setting KPIs such as the number of game plays and referrals to company websites, and providing monthly reports. Since 2018, the company has strengthened the branding component and made results measurable for participating companies, leading to broader use of the service for branding, particularly among restaurants.
As part of its growth strategy, KIDS STAR Inc. began ごっこランドEXPO in 2024 to expand ごっこランド beyond digital and into the real world. The event attracted approximately 10,000 participants across 5 venues nationwide, with profitability secured through sponsorship fees from 2–3 companies per venue and facility revenue. The company plans to expand the number of venues to 30 in fiscal 2025, promoting integration between digital and real-world experiences.
For overseas expansion, the company is targeting Asia. It released Gokko World in Vietnam in August 2023 and reached 1 million cumulative downloads one year and one month after launch. English is the primary language, with support for local languages also being expanded. The company says it will continue aiming to become No. 1 in the Asian market from 2025 onward.