The Web3 Industry That Fascinated the SyFu Founder, a 20-Year Entrepreneur

The following is a translation of the seminar report that was recently held in Kanazawa, Japan. SyFu founder Tomochika Kamiya served as the lecturer, delivering a talk on the theme “The Web3 Industry That Fascinated a 20-Year Entrepreneur.” I am pleased to introduce it to you. (Source: TENJO KANAZAWA)

[embed]【起業家セミナー開催レポート】 ~20年目の起業家を魅了したWeb3業界~ ｜TENJO KANAZAWA 皆さん、こんにちは！ TENJO KANAZAWAが行うプロジェクトの１つに『TENJO 起業家セミナー』があります。『TENJO…note.com

TENJO KANAZAWA

[Entrepreneur Seminar Report]

• The Web3 Industry That Fascinated a 20-Year Entrepreneur

Hello everyone!

One of the projects conducted by TENJO KANAZAWA is the “TENJO Entrepreneur Seminar.” The “TENJO Entrepreneur Seminar” is a series of seminars where we invite entrepreneurs to talk about their experiences and thoughts during the early stages of founding their businesses. We invite guests from various industries, sectors, and countries with diverse backgrounds.

This time, we have summarized the seminar held online from Kanazawa on Friday, July 19, 2024, where we welcomed Mr. Tomochika Kamiya, CEO of GINKAN Co., Ltd., as the guest lecturer. The theme of the seminar was “The Web3 Industry That Fascinated a 20-Year Entrepreneur.”

Please read until the end!

Contents:

• Guest Introduction
• What is the Web3 project “SyFu”?
• Discussion Topics

1. The Web3 Industry that a 20-year Entrepreneur, Mr. Kamiya, Arrived At
2. What Fascinated Him About Web3
3. How Web3 Affects the Real World
4. What the SyFu Project, Focused on Web3 and the Real Economy, Brings to Kanazawa

• Summary

Guest Introduction: Tomochika Kamiya CEO of GINKAN Co., Ltd. While studying at Hosei University, he started his own business and later achieved success in the mobile marketing industry. He is currently working on the Web3 project “SyFu,” which has gained attention by winning the “Excellence Award” at the Japan Financial Innovation Award 2024 (JFIA 2024).

★ Interview with the JFIA 2024 Award Winner ↓

[embed]

Entrepreneurial History:

• 2000: Founded a business while studying at Hosei University.
• 2005: Founded his first startup, focusing on the mobile marketing industry, which he sold after 10 years. After the M&A, he served as the CMO at the acquiring company, overseeing marketing operations worth several billion yen annually.
• 2015: Founded his second startup, GINKAN Co., Ltd., which operated the Web3 gourmet SNS “SynchroLife” (now “Livedoor Gourmet”).
• 2023: Transferred the business to Livedoor Co., Ltd. and launched a new Web3 project, “SyFu,” based in Hong Kong.
• 2024: SyFu has built a global community of over 10,000 members and is scheduled to launch by the end of 2024.

What is the Web3 Project “SyFu”?

SyFu is a Web3 wallet that transforms payment data into digital assets, creating a new consumption experience. According to Mr. Kamiya, “What we are doing with the SyFu project is turning your everyday cashless transactions — whether credit cards or other forms of payments — into digital assets like tokens and NFTs using Web3 technology. You might not fully understand this concept yet, but what I want you to remember is that we are developing a product that can turn your payment data into valuable digital assets like cryptocurrencies or NFTs. This is what we are working on at the moment.”

[embed]SyFu | GameFi + Payment Data SyFu is a WEB3 wallet that turns your payment data into digital assets with GameFi. Unlock the value of payment data.syfu.io

Discussion Topics:

In the seminar, Mr. Kamiya talked about what he has learned through his 20 years of entrepreneurial experience, starting from his student days, and what kind of world the Web3 industry, which he arrived at after 20 years, represents.

1. The Web3 Industry that a 20-year Entrepreneur, Mr. Kamiya, Arrived At

Born in Aichi Prefecture, Mr. Kamiya has been an entrepreneur for 23 years. In the seminar, he mentioned, “What we use conveniently today was invented by different people throughout human history, helping mankind to evolve. That’s why I became an entrepreneur, with the hope of contributing to that process in some way.” He added, “My theme is to do something that contributes to the lifestyle of future generations, even just a little, before I die.”

Mr. Kamiya first encountered the internet during the time he was running a nail salon business. Recognizing that many people wanted to learn nail art but there were few educational institutions, he started selling video materials via distance learning. At that time, internet searches had just begun, so he studied SEO, which led to significant profits. Reflecting on this experience, Mr. Kamiya said, “That was my first peak when I realized how powerful the internet could be.”

Looking back on his entrepreneurial journey, he said, “When I was in my early twenties, I wanted to become a successful person, make money, and be recognized. But over time, I wanted to do something meaningful for society. Nowadays, the most important thing for me is to do what I find most enjoyable, and that has become the joy of my life — it’s no longer about dividing work and private life. It’s all part of one continuous experience, and my values have shifted in that way.” He added, “Now, the most stimulating and enjoyable thing for me is the Web3 industry.”

2. What Fascinated Him About Web3

When explaining Web3, we often hear about “decentralized blockchain technology.” This represents Web3’s reliability, openness, and transparency, but in this seminar, Mr. Kamiya focused more on “what can be done using Web3” rather than its underlying mechanisms.

What Mr. Kamiya finds particularly interesting about Web3 is the utilization of NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens). NFTs are a type of digital asset that is treated as unique and cannot be duplicated. This allows ownership and trade of rights in the digital world. As Mr. Kamiya explains, NFTs are similar to golf club memberships; for example, when you purchase a golf membership, it is based on a contract with the golf course, and its value is maintained. Similarly, by using NFTs, you can own valuable digital rights and transfer those rights to others. In other words, NFTs enable the transfer of value in the digital world. For instance, you could instantly sell a golf membership you own in Japan to someone in Nigeria through the internet.

What makes NFTs different from the past is that, until now, digital rights were not functional. For example, when someone transferred a right — like selling a membership from Person A to Person B — the service provider had to manually update the membership information on their server to manage who held the right. In the case of a golf course, the customer representative would switch the member information, and the operator would have to track who owned the rights. However, with NFTs, this process becomes much simpler: “You don’t have to do that anymore.” NFTs secure the contract, and when you send an NFT via email, the contract is technically already established.

Other examples include idol handshake tickets or in-game items, which can also be traded digitally as NFTs. Fans who own handshake tickets can sell them to other fans who want them, meaning rights that previously existed only in physical form can now circulate in the digital space. As a result, trading digital assets becomes far easier, and the transfer of rights and value can be done much more smoothly.

3. How Web3 Affects the Real World

As discussed earlier, Web3 technology allows for the instant digital transfer of rights that used to be managed through physical documents. This enables companies and individuals to manage and trade rights digitally and efficiently, creating new business opportunities.

4. What the SyFu Project, Focused on Web3 and the Real Economy, Brings to Kanazawa

At the end of the seminar, Mr. Kamiya shared his thoughts on “what could be done in Kanazawa using Web3 technology.” He said, “If I were to do something with Web3 in my beloved Kanazawa, it would be this: I would launch a ‘Kanazawa Premium NFT.’”

“It’s very simple. For example, there would only be 300 of these NFTs available globally. The NFT is a global asset, so only 300 people in the world can purchase it. It could be 1,000 people, but the point is that it’s limited to a certain number. When someone who holds this NFT comes to visit Kanazawa, they will be treated like a VIP and experience the most luxurious and exclusive trip Kanazawa has to offer. In other words, when affluent people travel, the most important thing for them is to enjoy a stress-free and top-tier experience, no matter the cost. This is how VIPs, particularly foreign tourists, tend to travel, and I believe Japan has great potential in this area.

Spots like Kanazawa, Kyoto, or Hokkaido are packed with unique cultural experiences that are hard to find anywhere else in the world. But even for Japanese people, organizing a perfect trip to fully enjoy Kanazawa is not easy. If we try to offer this experience to everyone, it becomes just another ordinary trip. So, we limit it to 300 NFT holders who will get an extraordinary travel experience, with costs ranging from 3 million to 5 million yen per trip. The most important thing here is to completely satisfy those who hold the NFT. If they have a great experience in Kanazawa, they will naturally want to return, bringing along their friends. This is not your typical vacation. What Japan lacks is a luxury service offering for affluent travelers. Foreign tourists are already visiting many local areas, but I believe Web3 can provide even more opportunities for them to spend money in ways that bring them satisfaction.

What’s great about Web3 is that there’s no risk if it doesn’t sell. If this weren’t Web3, you would have to start with a membership registration process, which is very cumbersome. Moreover, with NFTs, you can offer services where only the smartphone of the NFT holder can unlock certain features, like opening a digital key. Additionally, you can visualize where and how NFT holders are spending their money.”

By providing exclusive, high-end services through NFTs, the hope is to showcase the best of what Kanazawa has to offer. Furthermore, by utilizing the system where the issuer receives royalties each time an NFT is resold, it is possible to ensure a continuous revenue stream.

Summary

In this seminar, not only were the possibilities of Web3 and NFTs explained clearly, but Mr. Kamiya also openly shared his entrepreneurial experiences. His declaration that “I’m having the most fun right now!” amidst the ups and downs of his entrepreneurial journey left a lasting impression. His story, in which he continues to pursue what he enjoys despite past failures, was truly fascinating!

The discussion on Kanazawa and NFTs also hinted at new ways to enhance the city’s appeal as a tourist destination, making it an intriguing topic. There’s still much more to learn about Web3 and SyFu, and I’m looking forward to creating another opportunity to explore these subjects further. Stay tuned!