New round of investment boosts ONE Championship’s total capital raised to US$100 million

AsiaOne
20 July 2017

Apple, Google, WhatsApp, and now, ONE Championship. Sequoia Capital is one of the world’s most recognised venture capital firms, having invested in several marquee startups before they achieved global success.

On 20 July, ONE Championship announced that it had joined the list of leading companies above by tapping Sequoia India (Sequoia) as part of its Series C round of investment.

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “As one of the most successful venture capital firms in the world, Sequoia has an unparalleled track record of partnering with early-stage companies and helping to build them into global market leaders.

“I am confident that Sequoia’s expertise, network, and resources will contribute significantly to ONE Championship’s success.

In addition to Sequoia, existing shareholders such as Mission Holdings also contributed to this latest stage of funding, taking ONE’s total capital raised to US$100 million in just six years. Heliconia Capital Management, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Temasek Holdings, had previously invested an eight-figure sum in 2016.

Sityodtong believes that the addition of Sequoia as an institutional shareholder means the organization now has the most prestigious shareholder group in Asia’s sports media industry, which would give ONE a meaningful competitive advantage.

“I am thrilled that Sequoia, Mission Holdings, and Heliconia Capital Management believe in both our mission of unleashing superheroes and our goal of becoming Asia’s first multi-billion dollar sports media property,” added Sityodtong.

Established in 2011, ONE has been on a steep upwards trajectory, firmly establishing itself as Asia’s largest sports media property. Packing arenas around Asia with sold-out crowds, ONE’s events are broadcast live around the world to a potential 1 billion viewers in over 128 countries. Television ratings are also reported to be as high as 26 per cent in key markets.

On the digital front, the organization has enjoyed unparalleled success, with social media impressions expected to hit 4.8 billion in 2017. Video views are also projected to reach as high as 600 million.

Shailendra J Singh, Managing Director of Sequoia Capital (India) Singapore Pte. Ltd., stated: “ONE Championship has been a pioneer and major driving force of the martial arts industry in Asia, with surging popularity across major countries. We are excited about the potential for live martial arts content at a time when mobile video viewership is exploding across emerging markets.”