| Representative |
Yuki Oya
After graduating from Tohoku University's Faculty of Engineering, I went on to Kyoto University's Graduate School of Informatics. While in grad school, I started a startup called TsuCre, which makes gaming controllers that anyone can easily customize and repair. I was in charge of the business side of things, like sales, marketing, strategy, and fundraising. After the controller business concluded, I worked on developing the business plan for Thumaster, a software company targeting the esports industry, while also participating in a project at MagicHolic Co., Ltd., a startup aiming to globalize manga. I was involved in customer validation, business model evaluation, and the creation of pitch materials. Currently, I am responsible for all business-related tasks in preparation for the launch of Thumaster. |
| Motivation, Goals, and Ideal World |
The world we aim to create is one that eliminates the “disparity in training environments and evaluation criteria” that exists between real sports and e-sports, and where both have equal competitive value. Real sports have a long history, and their systems for training and evaluating athletes are well established. In sports such as soccer and baseball, objective data such as running distance, pass success rate, and shooting accuracy are recorded and reflected in training, tactical planning, and scouting. This data-driven culture of development and evaluation has elevated the competitive level and enhanced the appeal for both athletes and audiences. On the other hand, while e-sports has experienced rapid growth, it lags behind in this area. While professional athletes and some top teams have access to analytical tools and dedicated coaches, many athletes rely on intuitive practice, resulting in significant variability in growth rates and directions. Additionally, due to the lack of objective evaluation criteria, performance and impressions are prioritized in the transfer market, and there are many cases where potentially talented players are not properly evaluated. Thumaster analyzes players' gameplay footage and input data to quantify metrics such as hit rate, weapon-specific accuracy, strengths and weaknesses at different distances, and aim stability, providing the infrastructure to bridge this gap. With Thumaster, esports players can track their growth numerically and optimize their training plans, just like real-world athletes. Additionally, as objective data accumulates, teams and tournament organizers can evaluate players fairly and make data-driven decisions regarding transfers and contracts. Ultimately, we believe this will also benefit fans and sponsors by making players' value and growth stories more transparent, thereby enhancing the appeal of the sport as a whole. |
