NTT DOCOMO Ventures, Inc. (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Jun Yasumoto; hereinafter "NDV") announces that they will invest in BLOCKSMITH&Co. Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Tetsuya Sanada; hereinafter "BLOCKSMITH"), a web3 company that develops blockchain games and provides other web3 services, through a fund managed by the company as an investor in an angel round (ongoing).
■ Pursuing synergies with the NTT DOCOMO Group
Currently, blockchain services still lack general awareness, making it a challenge to reach a wide user base.
With the participation of NTT DOCOMO Ventures, BLOCKSMITH and the NTT DOCOMO Group will strengthen their cooperation and work together to achieve web3 mass adoption through the realisation of synergies between the two companies.
BLOCKSMITH is also working on the development of its own Facial Recognition Web3 Wallet (patent pending), and by collaborating with the NTT DOCOMO Group, the company will promote the development and implementation of a more convenient and secure Web3 Wallet and enhanced security for blockchain games.
■ Comment from NTT DOCOMO Ventures Director, Arima Kotake
‘We;NTT DOCOMO Group, together with a diverse range of partners, are promoting initiatives to accelerate the diffusion and social implementation of Web3.
BLOCKSMITH's new QAQA service, which can be easily started even by those with no knowledge of Web3, allows users to aim for higher rankings and obtain rare and valuable NFTs by answering quizzes on hobbies and categories they are interested in. We believe that this is a very unique service, as playing a lot can make you popular in the community, which in turn motivates users.
This is a service with great potential for mass adoption of Web3, and we will work closely with it to develop the business.’
■ Background
Until now, the parent company KLab Inc. and its founder and president, Tetsuya Sanada, have owned 100% of the company's capital, but this angel round marks the first time that capital has come from outside the company. BLOCKSMITH aims to list its shares, which is unusual for a web3-related company, and the funding is part of the company's efforts to strengthen its capital structure and finances in preparation for a listing.
Funds raised are used for product development, research and development, etc.
BLOCKSMITH has a proven track record of blockchain-related development and operations, including the provision of CAPTAIN TSUBASA -RIVALS- to Thirdverse Group (now Mint Town Co., Ltd) in January 2023. In addition to the development of blockchain games, the company is also focusing on the development of related technologies, including the establishment of AI Lab in April 2023 and the announcement of a business partnership on the Facial Recognition Web3 Wallet in September 2023.
(Reference) Companies participating til now:
MZ Web3 Fund,
SBI Group,
SAKURA UNITED PLATFORM
Headline Asia,
Governance Partner,
J-CAM Corporation,
and others
■ About QAQA
"QAQA" is a quiz short video SNS where users can ask quizzes, accumulate "Chips" by continuously answering correctly, and exchange the accumulated "Chips" for the cryptocurrency "BLQS".
An alpha version is available for users to experience certain features such as quiz questions and answers. Various event functions to enhance the quiz experience, as well as the addition of NFTs, the cryptocurrency "BLQS," and a proprietary wallet, are planned to be gradually introduced.
We are also looking for more companies to join us in the future.
【Links】
- Service Website: https://www.qaqa.io/
- Alpha Version Application Form: https://www.qaqa.io/testerform
- LINE ：https://lin.ee/pGiHOyn
- X (EN): https://twitter.com/qaqa_en
- X (JP): https://twitter.com/qaqa_jp
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@qaqa_channel
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/qaqa_channel/
- Discord: https://discord.gg/GgJvcHE3cf
About BLOCKSMITH&Co.
Company Name: BLOCKSMITH&Co.
President and CEO: Tetsuya Sanada
Establishment: April 1, 2022
Capital: 14,999,950 JPY
Head office: Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 106-6122
Business: Development and distribution of products such as blockchain technology and crypto assets utilising NFTs
URL：https://www.blocksmithand.co.jp/en/
【SNS】