Dentsu Japan Network Develops NFT Business Establishment Support Service in Cooperation with Startbahn, Inc., and Dentsu Inc.

― Realizes Advancement of Utility Design and Secondary Distribution Management ―

Dentsu Innovation Initiative (DII), an internal organization of the Dentsu Group Inc., that promotes R&D under the Dentsu Japan Network (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Hiroshi Igarashi), which supervises and supports Japan business operations of the Group, has developed an NFT (Non-Fungible Token: digital data with a statement of certification or owner certificate that cannot be falsified) establishment support service for content holders in the entertainment and sports fields in collaboration with Startbahn, Inc., (Head Office: Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Taihei Shii; hereafter referred to as “Startbahn”) and Dentsu Inc. (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Hiroshi Igarashi; hereafter referred to as “Dentsu”). This service will be available starting from today from both Startbahn and Dentsu.

Many NFT markets (market places) and related businesses have rapidly been launched because NFT has gotten attention as it allows, by tying NFT and content data, the creation of a mechanism that can certify holders of content of artwork or entertainment work and that can return profits from every secondary or tertiary transaction to copyright holders (producers and artists) in the digital field where copying and falsification are easy because NFT can be constructed on a blockchain and cannot be falsified. However, there are problems, such as the marketplace of one company not compatible with that of another and initial information and setting rules not being handed over.

To resolve these problems and to make services using NFT really beneficial for IP holders, creators, and fans of content, especially of entertainment and sports, it is necessary to ensure the uniqueness of digital data and to realize the handover and distribution of information about content, such as the setting of money to be returned, terms of use, and publisher, across operators.

To make this come true, this service has been developed in cooperation with the three companies. Startbahn is strong in the NFT base that makes secondary distribution management possible across operators. The blockchain and back-end system the company provides to start the NFT business constitute the core of this service. By combining this with Dentsu’s content, expertise in creative and planning that deeply understand fans’ mentalities, and business network, the services necessary for establishing the NFT business are provided to all content IP holders at once. The services include the formulation of an NFT issuance and sales strategy, UI/UX design, and the planning and development of backend system and an interface necessary for issuance and sale of NFT. This prevents utilities, such as special experiences and rights that can be gained by possessing NFT, from being limited to within the services of a company and realizes new fan experiences that only NFT can bring about.

We will promote the development of various services, while protecting content, with an eye on maximizing the value that content IP holders, creators, and fans have.

＜Features of NFT infrastructure system of Startbahn＞

• Mechanism of secondary distribution management important for long-term protection of content
  • Terms of use and setting of money to be returned, as well as information about publisher and content, can be handed over across services
• Mechanism that does not make users aware of the cryptocurrency
  • The users do not have to prepare a wallet. They can log in by using an e-mail address or SNS account
  • Payment can be made with legal currency (gas charges will be shouldered by the operating service)
• Inexpensive, sustainable mechanism
  • Using Polygon, a layer 2 solution, to cut back on transaction cost and power consumption
• Tying up with things
  • By using IC tag technology, not only digital things but also real things can be tied to information about NFT

＜Roles of Dentsu＞

• UX design consulting about NFT
  • Designing objects to be used as NFT
  • Designing utilities, such as special experiences and rights that can be gained by possessing NFT
  • Designing utilities of NFT across services
• Planning and development of an interface that places importance on the world outlook of content or brands

[Outline of Startbahn]

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Contact:
Shusaku Kannan, Executive Director,
Group Corporate Communications Office, Dentsu Group Inc.
Telephone: +81 (3) 6217-6602, E-mail: s.kannan@dentsu.co.jp