2019.09.04 PRESSRELEASE
Gugenka® Adopts ‘A trust’ and Sells Out of Certified Digital Art Prints
DIGITAL art prints created by Virtual Youtuber Megu Shinonome and certified by A trust have sold out on the Gugenka® Market Place.
This is the first time the A trust technology has been adopted to certify and sell digital content on a store online, and all 10 of the limited-edition digital art prints were sold from August 29, 2019 to September 1, 2019.
The prints themselves are from the multi-talented creator and Virtual Youtuber Megu Shinonome and they were priced at ¥10,000 JPY (tax not incl.) on the Gugenka® Market Place which is an online store run by Gugenka® that sells digital content such as digital figures called HoloModels™ and avatars called MakeAvatar™.
Ten applicants were randomly given the chance to purchase the certified art prints, and the buyers were given a URL where they can see the certificate data for the prints which are viewable through the HoloModels™ application.
Digital content is easy to copy and difficult to protect, but with A trust buyers are given clear ownership of their purchase which leads to these goods being seen as rare and highly valuable by consumers.
Consumers also have the right to transfer their digital goods to others after purchase with the certificate of ownership held on the blockchain, meaning that if the goods are resold they maintain their exclusivity and both the creators and rights holders will receive their rightful share of compensation.
The sale of these digital art prints was run as a proof of viability demonstration between Gugenka® and Avex Technologies, and both companies plan to collaborate on projects starting in the fall of 2019 with regular implementation to follow in the first half of 2020.
In the future, the goal is to increase the value of digital content as it becomes more widespread, and to offer this system to additional intellectual property holders.
Akihisa Ishida from the blockchain division in Avex Technologies will make an announcement at CEDEC 2019 with further details regarding this initiative.
As technology advances, Avex Technologies aims to establish a system that can deliver content to more people while still protecting rights of creators, leading to a world where all intellectual property can be developed safely and securely in both foreign and domestic markets.
ENDS
■ About Gugenka®
Gugenka® was established by CS-Reporters, Inc. on February 27, 2017 (Monday). They are a team dedicated to selling and researching Japanese anime digital goods that utilize cutting-edge VR/AR/MR technology. They manage content such as digital figures (HoloModels™) and avatars (MakeAvatar™). Megu Shinonome, a part of Gugenka®’s original intellectual property, is a virtual YouTuber and a second-year student at Tokyo’s Hiyorioka High School. She is a multi-talented creator who writes her own song lyrics, produces her own songs, and has even published a picture book.
■ About A trust
A trust is a system that issues certificates for digital content using blockchain technology. The buyers of said digital content have proof of ownership via these certificates.
■ Company Overview
Name: Avex Technologies Inc. https://avex-technologies.com
Founded: May 14, 2019
Representative: CEO Asahi Iwanaga
Address: Avex Building, 3-1-30 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Business Operations: Blockchain, Cloud Entertainment, etc.
■ Supplement Material
【PressRelease】Gugenka® Adopts ‘A trust’ and Sells Out of Certified Digital Art Prints