Astar Network and Sony Launch Web3 Partnership

Global entertainment Titan Sony, through its affiliate Sony Network Communications, has launched a Web3 incubation program in partnership with blockchain innovation hub Astar Network.

The partnership aims to advance relevant technologies by helping upcoming startups gain initial traction.

According to an official press release by the multi-chain smart contract platform, the incubation program is meant to support Web3 initiatives. It will mainly focus on highlighting the practical applications of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs). Singapore-based Startale Labs, the brainchild of Astar Network CEO and founder Sota Watanabe, organizes the program.

Astar Network ongoing partnerships

The Astar Network CEO stated that applications for the program, which will run for three months beginning mid-March, open on 17 February and close on 6 March. Watanabe explained that the successful participants would be placed in 10 to 15 cohorts. The facilitators will include experts from global VC firms like Dragonfly, Fenbushi Capital, and Alchemy Venture. Moreover, the successful candidates will also access additional business strategy and tech support based on Astar's development, past consulting, and business expertise.

In tandem with its ongoing partnership with firms interested in exploring Web3 technology use cases, the incubation program aims to enable startups to convert their viable ideas into visible products irrespective of the Web3 startup phase. Using the firm’s robust ecosystem, the program will prioritize candidates engaged in DeFi, Web3 gaming and metaverse, and infrastructure.

Recent partnerships

Startale Labs develops DApps and infrastructure and acts as the gateway for enterprises interested in partnering with Astar Network by offering consulting services leveraging knowledge in multi-chain protocol development.

The Japanese tech giant Sony ventured into the burgeoning NGT gaming field alongside embracing Web3 technology in the recent past. The firm that is popular for its PlayStation gaming consoles launched a motion-tracking wearable Metaverse gadget in November 2022. The firm has already set up a regional office in Singapore to run development and consulting services for NFT-related products.

Besides partnering with Sony, Astra also recently on-boarded Japan’s leading car manufacturer Toyota as it began to explore how it could introduce the Web3 experience into its operations. Apart from becoming among the first parachains to embrace the Polkadot ecosystem, the firm has also on-boarded Japan’s NTT Docomo to facilitate mass adoption of Web3 and its social implementation.