Funding
International Dance League Closes $15 Million Series A Led by Elysian Park Ventures
By News Desk ·
Key takeaways
- International Dance League closed a $15 million Series A led by Elysian Park Ventures, with Sony Group Corporation, Sony Corporation, KB Partners, APEX, Yamaha Music Innovations Fund and October Ventures participating.
- IDL's inaugural 2026 season featured six teams and sold out all six events, generating 2 billion views and a first media rights agreement with ESPN2.
- Elysian Park Ventures previously led IDL's $7 million seed round in November 2025 and led a $12 million round in Diamond Kinetics in January 2026.
International Dance League, Inc. closed a US$15 million Series A round led by Elysian Park Ventures, with participation from Sony Group Corporation, Sony Corporation, KB Partners, APEX, Yamaha Music Innovations Fund and October Ventures. Startup Researcher reported the funding on October 21, 2026.
Elysian Park Ventures Backs IDL's Second Round
IDL launched its first season in May 2026 with six founding teams: Brotherhood from Vancouver, Quick Style from Oslo, Jam Republic from Singapore, 1MILLION from Seoul, Royal Family from Auckland and GRV from Los Angeles. The league held competitions in New York, Vancouver, Sydney and Los Angeles, and all six events sold out. The season ended at Los Angeles' Shrine Expo Hall, where GRV was crowned the first IDL Season Champion.
Across the opening season, IDL generated 2 billion views and secured its first media rights agreement with ESPN2, alongside brand partnerships with Honda and e.l.f. Cosmetics. Sports Business Journal reported that the league previously raised $7 million in seed funding and held its first championship in L.A. in September. VC News Daily named the same investor group for the Series A.
Connor Lim, CEO, Commissioner and Co-Founder of IDL, said the season proved dance has the audience, athletes and global culture to support a professional sports ecosystem of its own. He stated, "What has historically been missing is the infrastructure around it." Elysian Park Ventures Managing Partner Pete Vlastelica said IDL's rapid growth and innovative strategy remain key reasons for the firm's continued participation.
Sony Group Corporation and Sony Corporation both signaled interest in exploring collaboration at the intersection of dance, technology and entertainment. Kazuhito Hadano of Sony Group said IDL has demonstrated tremendous potential to engage global audiences in a unique way. Osamu Hajimoto of Sony Corporation added that the league opens new possibilities for dancers, fans and broader dance culture through technology and creativity.
Elysian Park Ventures' Funding Record
According to akta.pro company records, Elysian Park Ventures led the $7 million seed round for International Dance League in November 2025, launching the first global professional dance league with its inaugural 2026 season. The same records show the firm led a $12 million funding round in Diamond Kinetics in January 2026 to scale youth baseball and softball offerings, including livestreaming and AI-powered highlight services, and participated in Splash Sports' $14.5 million Series B in October 2025 via the EP Golf Ventures joint fund with PGA of America.
| Date | Company | Round | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 2025 | International Dance League | Seed | $7 million |
| October 2025 | Splash Sports | Series B | $14.5 million |
| January 2026 | Diamond Kinetics | Funding round | $12 million |
IDL's 2027 Season Plans
The new capital is supporting IDL as it completes the 2026 season and enters its next phase of growth, with funding directed toward expanded tour operations, broadcast and digital production, stronger infrastructure for teams and dancers, new fan experiences and the commercial ecosystem around professional dance for the 2027 season. All six teams are set to return in 2027, with schedule and host cities to be announced.