Peatix

Peatix operates a global event discovery and online ticketing platform designed to connect people and build communities around shared interests. The company was founded in May 2011 by Taku Harada, Emi Takemura, Yuji Fujita, and Naofumi Iwai, former colleagues from Amazon Japan. The inspiration for the platform emerged from the aftermath of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, which created a strong demand for tools to help people organize and connect for social good.

The founders brought extensive experience from major tech and media companies, including Amazon, Apple, and Sony Music, to their new venture. Taku Harada, the CEO, held management roles at Amazon Japan and Apple, where he was involved in launching the iTunes Music Store in Japan. Emi Takemura, who served as Head of Asia, had a background that included roles at McKinsey, Amazon, and Disney. This diverse experience shaped the company's international aspirations from its inception. Peatix established a global footprint with a presence in New York, Tokyo, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur, and now serves 27 countries.

The platform provides a self-service solution for event organizers of all sizes, from small community meetups to large-scale conferences. It offers a suite of tools to create customizable event pages, manage registrations, sell tickets, and promote events. Key features include various ticket types (free, paid, and donation-based), a check-in app with QR code scanning, real-time analytics, and attendee management. The business model is straightforward: for paid events, Peatix charges a percentage-based fee plus a flat rate per ticket sold (e.g., 4.9% + $0.99 per ticket), while free events are hosted at no cost. Payouts are processed to the organizer's bank account or PayPal within five business days after the event concludes.

A central element of the Peatix platform is its focus on community building. Organizers can create 'Groups' to foster an online community around their events, sending updates and notifications to followers. The platform also functions as an event discovery tool, helping users find new experiences based on their interests. For attendees, Peatix offers a mobile app that facilitates ticket purchase and check-in. Since its founding, the platform has supported over 900,000 events and serves more than 8.4 million users worldwide.

Keywords: event ticketing, event management platform, online ticketing, community building, event discovery, mobile ticketing, event registration, QR code tickets, event promotion, virtual events, Taku Harada, Emi Takemura, event analytics, attendee management, global events, Japan startup, self-service ticketing, concert tickets, conference ticketing, workshop registration