Empowering the Future of Payments & DeFi with AWAJ.

Transcript

[music] >> It's nice to see you all. How are you, Kosuke? >> Yeah, I'm good. Yeah, nice to meet you. I'm Kosuke. >> Uh I would like to introduce the Kosuke first. He is the hack one of the past participant of the ETH Global Hackathon last time and this time he attend again and one of the successful Suzuka product with the JFIPP Ripple supported program.

>> Yeah, so I often join Sakasama and also I joined this is a good body hackasama also. And my name is I Kosuke. So my company is providing AI and blockchain development. So my name is my family name is AI. So very familiar with AI. [laughter] So today my name is AI. So it's It's like a AI with AI. >> [laughter] >> So yeah, let's start to your session. Yeah, so my company is supporting Suzuka. Suzuka is a QR code photo based payment service. So previous session he talked about the QR code payment. But my Suzuka base product focusing USDT and USDC based point payment. And also we exchange from USDT to from from USDT and USDC to JPY. It's like a point system.

So very simple to start use. And also we support the exchange from points to JPY. So very easily and also under the Japanese regulation we started Suzuka. Yeah. >> Thank you so much. Um before we going to start the session, I would like to be tell you something. We have a lots of developer in the blockchain industry. But what we really need is a complete ecosystem. The real product who can actually onboard the customers, onboard the users which the Web3 really needs.

And this is the reason we build Avatars. Under the Avatars we are working as a venture studio model to support the startup to find the good product, make the better market research, bring the customers on the product, and then launch the product to the market. And we are very glad that the Suzupay is one of our startup company who work with us. Um Kuske, I have a one question with for you. Related to the technology and product side, what you think about the USD C and USD DD difference for that?

>> Yes, so for technology, uh USDT and USDC is a one of stable coins technology, but I think it's different technology uh from other technologies. So, AI is very easy to start using and it's good for uh real use case. Uh for example, lifestyle and other type of uh use case uh AI hub. But, the stable coins also. So, we use a Japanese yen uh when we uh we buy some items in shops. Uh also, stable coins we can use it in shops and merchants. So, so we Suzupay already provided and we already started providing Suzupay in Fukuoka's area. So, stable coins easy to use in real use case. Also, local

merchant can receive the stable coin via our Suzupay service. So, they easily to get the Japanese yen um not they don't need to exchange to uh buy their sales. So, very easily to understand simple. So, so stable coins very easy and also I think it's very good technology. Uh yeah. >> Thank you so much. When we discuss about the financial product, specifically the country like Japan who are already uh well organized and modernized in the fintech, it's quite difficult to build a product in this industry.

So, and related to your Suzupay, we have a many QR payment processing system, but still we don't have a very We have a very limited DeFi products. So, what do you think about that? The Japanese startups or the Japanese product need to be moved forward to the international market? Or the specifically for the Japan? >> Yeah, I think Zuba is focusing Japanese market because I talked with the Japanese local merchant and there are some companies, but it's very difficult to use stablecoins for payment. So, we started Zuba. Zuba is under the Japanese regulation and we can provide and we check the Japanese law side, so we can We can provide the

Zuba, but in Japan, there are a lot of startups trying to make the new blockchain and financial service. For example, some companies need the Japanese financial regulation. So, I think it's difficult for some difficult market for blockchain startup in Japan, but I think most startups need to go Yeah, global. Also, my company providing some services to global. For example, DeFi system and DEX, yeah, for example, mean bot we made. So, we can make DeFi system. Also, Zuba, we are focusing the Japanese market. Yeah.

>> Thank you so much. When we discuss about the building the product, we have a lot of accelerator program and thank you so much Eid Global to organize this amazing hackathon. Through this hackathon, the people have opportunity to connect with the right persons to build a good product. But how your experience with Awaj and as a venture studio model to build your product and to improve your product, go to the market strategy and bring investors? >> Yeah, I think yeah, I think Hinas the program is very good and I joined the XRP uh program. Yeah, uh and I joined the XRP Tokyo also and I pitched about the Suzupay. It's very

good opportunity for me. And I often join the hackathon and I will make a product. Also, my company is a fast speed development company and consulting companies. So, it's very good opportunity and I can talk about the Suzupay and our product like this. And also, thank you for inviting me this program. Yeah. So, yeah, thank you for making opportunity like this. Yeah. I think it's very good opportunity. >> Thank you so much. We always here to support and create these kind of opportunities. There's a very important questions most of the investors always ask to the the developers, founders, or the startups.

Is the product really needed in the market? It's a technical product technicality is controlled. Is more better. So, what you suggest? You already attend lots of hackathon. When you're building something, so you just need to be focused on the technology or you also need to be focused more on the marketing and the commercial part? >> Yeah, I'm mainly focusing the marketing and commercial part. Suzupay's it's also one of the technology we used for example, blockchain we used. But, firstly, I talked with a local merchant and I check the Japanese regulation. I check the Japanese regulation. Point system is very easy to start. So, we started Suzupay. And also, firstly, I check the regulation

commercial side. And I know that in Japan, there are few companies providing the stablecoin payment service. So, Suzupay is very good opportunity, I think. So, I started. >> Kosuke, you are actually a good commercial person. I think he said the Suzupay so many times. So, I most of the people now remember that product name, the Suzupay. >> [laughter] >> Yeah, easy to remember Suzupay. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, Suzu is Japanese word, but yeah, easy to use and also Susu easy. Easy to say and also easy to remember. So, we are using SusuPay for product.

>> Amazing. Amazing. So good. So good. Let's move forward to the next topic, which is quite the DeFi. Building a product as a product of the DeFi in Japan is something like you are in the better world. It's quite difficult. Regulation part is difficult. Onboarding process of the customers is quite difficult. Importantly, the institutional partnerships in this process is it seems so is impossible. But, what do you think about the DeFi product in this Japan? >> Yeah, I think if DeFi product if many companies started using and making the DeFi product in Japan bank is not needed. Because DeFi is easy to use the exchange. Also in Japan, SusuPay also we

support the sending money with stablecoin. Many persons are using stablecoin to outside Japan and to send the money to for example from Japan to USA or India. My company hiring some Indian engineers. We use stablecoin for payment. Like DeFi, DeFi also banks transfer bank exchange from Japanese yen to US US dollar. So, it's take around the 5,000 yen is needed for cost. But, if many companies use blockchain, it's cost is not needed. So, I think more company use DeFi easy to exchange money. So, I think in Japan market

more financial companies need to start making the DeFi system for making good market for users. Yeah, I think DeFi is good way for next financial year exchange and also banks. >> Thank you so much. Related to the this topic the DFI, we already organized many hackathons activities, have a partnership with the SMBC, Mizuho Bank, and other institutional financial institutions who already have a license. D5 products is important for the Japan market, but it's still we have a related to the regulation part, we still in the gray zone. We don't have a clear pathway to move around that product.

So, it's still the many startups facing this kind of issues in this industry, specifically the for the Japan market. >> Yeah, I think there are some for example some uh pop chart decks or any type of decks in Japan it's difficult to provide in Japan. So, I think this is very difficult problem for many startup uh which provided DFI system. Because like swap function is very simple and very easy to develop, but there are a lot of company in Japan uh can't provide to Japanese uh yeah, persons. So, I think uh so many people go to the Switzerland and other type other countries

uh yeah, which countries yeah, easy like regulation. So, I think in Japan if we make more good DFI system from Japan, like we need to check the regulation and also we need to change the regulation. Yeah. So, but so yeah, many uh big financial company as a banks trying to make the DFI system, but I think regulations also need to change. Yeah, need to be changed. Yeah. >> Regulation need to be changed. We need to be on board some international partners who already have a successful product outside Japan. These kind of things can easily bring the value in Japan market.

Um I request you to if we move forward to the second slide, we would like to announce our partnership um Awaji is a association, Asia Alliance Japan and under the Awaj we support the startups to build them as a venture studio model and bring them to the institutional partner, licensing partner, investors and the go-to-market strategy. I'm so glad that I had the conversation with Kosuke 9 months before when he is building the SusuPay and bring the customers and I catch this startup in my Ripple project and we have announced one more fintech

product under this partnership. So, what do you think about that? >> Yeah, we are making start making the new financial product. Yeah. So, we will announce about it. And also SusuPay for SusuPay, we already started the POC in Fukuoka. So, from next week I will go Fukuoka and also in Fukuoka's it's around the 50 merchants is started to onboarding the SusuPay. So, start using SusuPay like a commercial Yeah, um as face. So, I think so we make a new product and we increase the merchant and also we also do the marketing for SusuPay. But also we make a new payment service or B2B payment service we make.

Yeah. And also we made a partnership. >> Thank you so much. Through this partnership, I really don't only focus on the payment side. I think we should more focus on the kids financial products. Kids financial product, the parenting financial products, then we need to be more focus on the D5 products. So, there are many layers we are thinking about and right now we are in the market to strategy point that how we bring this product to the market. I'm so glad that I have a founder like you, the talented founder who already have experience to build a product like the SusuPay and you already have a international experience to get the customers. So, could you share more about your past experience?

>> Yeah, my past experience I founded this Sizzle base. This is a product name and I have another Japanese company. And I founded this company 4 years ago. And I have the Japanese startups and Japanese companies to make device system and other type of AI system. For example, device system takes on main part and other type of NFT marketplace we already developed. And also we managed the development base in Pakistan. So, we have for example, Indian and Pakistan engineers. So, international engineers working for my company. So, Sizzle base also international team. So, we are looking for engineers and members. So, yeah, my

background is a development backgrounds and also making product and business. I think I have this develop yeah history. Yeah. >> Amazing. Amazing. Through the Awaji Venture Studio model, we would like to be support the Sizzle Pay and the new product. First of all, to provide the licensing partner. The meaning of the licensing partner is that that if you have a good product, your product is already ready for the market. We bring you the license partner who already have a regulation license in Japan. And they will give you the access to build or to test your market. With completely regulatory support.

And once you make this product in the market, you can easily bring the investors and easily onboard many other customers. So, related to the our fintech products, I'm quite success quite excited that this products which we already have a some license partners. We are working on the marketing strategy. And you already have a good experience in with the partnership with the Fukuoka or other side. But yeah, still it's a little bit difficult because the fintech products which is already built to make a new product is quite difficult. What do you think about that?

>> Yeah, I think for making a new product it's need more POC. So also already finished the POC and also we started providing the beta customers companies. So yeah, for making a new product POC is needed. But it's long term POC is too long. So I think it's need to make the product and move to the market. As as possible. Yeah, so I think in Japan markets it's a difficult market but market is very fast. And for example US and other countries cryptocurrency market is very fast, you know. But in

Japan there are very slow market. But I think more more speed is needed. So also Japanese regulation and other type of business speed is needed. So we made a partnership. So we provide the development and also technologies. So also we we will support the regulation side and collaborate with the Japanese financial companies also. Yeah, I think. >> Yes, I agree with you. And when we discuss about the fintech product specifically for the other side of the Japan Okinawa, Fukuoka, the western part of the Japan.

We think that they still need to be more need more improvement related to the cashless products. And still the people have a very limited access to the web three. So through the Suzupay payment process, through the different fintech product, I think we can be bring those customers easily on and make a more successful fintech ecosystem. What do you think about that? >> Yeah, I think we can make some more successful ecosystem. Also, Suzupay is very different. It's very easy to start using. Our merchant onboarding is very fast. And users only deposit and only buy point with their points. And they can start using Suzupay very soon.

So, and also we can make the new ecosystem. So, connecting a DeFi and also for Fukuoka city. Fukuoka is a very good city. And many foreigners come to the come to this for example Nomad or Wax. So, we started providing a Suzupay in Fukuoka. So, I think we will make the more functions. And also we will make a new product. And we connect the DeFi. So, we make a more good ecosystem in Suzupay and also new product. >> Thank you so much.

I would like to be invite all of you if you build any good product, please contact me related to find out the good institutional partner, the regulatory partner to launch your product in the market, to get the investors. So, we are here as a Avad to support you. And it's quite long journey to build a It sometime is is hustle. But as a team, if you work as a team, so definitely this hustle can be go to the successful path.

>> Yeah. So, yeah you say that launching product and is very long time. Yeah, you say. So, I think so we I will also support the technology side and helping the development side. And also we support the Japanese regular side and connecting the Japanese financial company side. So, yeah let's make we will support the supporting making more good product and launching it the market. Yeah. >> Thank you so much. I think we should have a handshake >> [laughter] >> as a partnership announcement.

>> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, thank you. >> [applause] [music]