Portal | Digital Garage, Inc.

［The Future of Digital Advertising #04］Trust Defines Media Value – A Conversation with TNL Mediagene, Now Listed on NASDAQ

Digital Garage — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 01:38:02 +0000

[Serials: The Future of Digital Advertising]What role should digital advertising play and how must it be transformed in today’s online environment that is overrun with malicious media, including fake news and fraudulent articles written with generative artificial intelligence (AI)?This series examines these issues and looks toward the future via interviews with members of the Quality Media Consortium, which was founded by advertising and media companies striving to build a healthy media environment. Mediagene was among the first to pivot from print to digital, launching prominent web media brands such as Business Insider Japan and Gizmodo Japan. Despite the constant upheaval in the media landscape, the company has steadily grown by staying ahead of change. In December 2024, just one year after merging with Taiwan’s TNL Group, they achieved a major milestone—listing on NASDAQ as TNL Mediagene. We spoke with Motoko Imada, the company’s President and COO, about the values and strengths that power this globally ambitious media organization. Building a “Media Persona” That Inspires Trust “I started out in publishing, working on print magazines and launching “the Japanese edition of WIRED.” It was during that time I became convinced that eventually, all information would go digital.” From its founding in...

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[AI Deep Dive #02] Five Transformations in the AI Era and Strategies for Companies

Digital Garage — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 02:18:08 +0000

[Series: AI Deep Dive]With the rapid advancement of AI technology, AI-driven businesses are evolving at an unprecedented pace. What are the key trends to watch, and what competitive strategies should companies adopt in the AI era? Experts from Digital Garage, who specialize in AI both in Japan and globally, will provide insights and analysis based on their unique perspectives and expertise. As AI technology rapidly evolves, businesses are being fundamentally reshaped across industries. Traditional business models, value propositions, organizational structures, and revenue models are being redefined. How should companies and professionals prepare for these changes and adapt to stay competitive? This article explores five key transformations in the AI era—shifts in customer behavior and value delivery, customer touchpoints and distribution channels, organizational structures, revenue models, and partnership strategies—and provides insights into strategic actions companies should take. ＊WriterYuto Saeki; Business Co-Creation Department, GII Segment Division, Digital Garage, Inc. Previously held roles at Monitor Deloitte, ByteDance, and ALL STAR SAAS FUND, with extensive experience in strategic investments, partnerships, and business development. Specializes in AI, fintech, and enterprise software, focusing on investing in and supporting startups in Japan and globally. 1. AI Is Automating User and Customer Behavior First and foremost, one of...

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Lit Up the Skies Over Shibuya: The Epic Journey Behind Japan’s Largest-Ever Drone Show

Digital Garage — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 00:47:02 +0000

On the night of February 8, 2025, people in Shibuya, Tokyo, were surprised and cheered at the extraordinary sight that suddenly appeared in the sky above them: 2,200 drones decorated the night sky and transformed it into a drone show of the largest scale in Japan. A massive drone display appearing above the Shibuya skyline was completely unprecedented. Behind it was a passionate team of professionals from Japan and abroad who brought this ambitious vision to life. This is the story of what happened behind the scenes. 2,200 Drones Illuminate Shibuya to the Beat of “Get Wild” On the night of the 8th, a temporary stage set up in Yoyogi Park hosted a live performance by musicians Tetsuya Komuro, Daisuke Hinata, and Carrie Suzuki. As the music played, thousands of colorfully lit drones soared into the sky. Spiraling upward in formation, they painted vivid scenes of Shibuya’s streets and powerful images inspired by the traditional Japanese ink painting of a dragon, Bokuryu. Then came the comedic entrance of a futuristic character named “DiGi8,” just as the iconic song “Get Wild” began to play—sending the crowd’s excitement soaring. A penguin dove into the ocean to the message “From Shibuya, Shape the...

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[The Story Behind DG×Resona Partnership #3] Next-Generation FinTech: Financial Institutions and Tech Companies Pioneering New Business Development

Digital Garage — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 00:31:09 +0000

In 2022, Digital Garage and Resona Holdings formed a capital and business alliance aimed at strengthening their payment business, expanding market share, and advancing next-generation fintech business. By 2023, the partnership deepened further, extending into collaborative efforts in open innovation through startup investments. This four-part series explores the details of their collaboration and their shared vision for the future. The third installment examines “Next Generation Fintech”, featuring an interview with Digital Garage and Resona on topics including the aims of the partnership, business development strategies, and future prospects. ＜Interviewees＞Yohei Ito; General Manager, DX Planning Department; Resona Holdings, Inc.Shunsuke Aono; DX Producer, DX Planning Department; Resona Holdings, Inc.Daisuke Tominaga; Executive Officer; Digital Garage, Inc.Junichi Sakishima; Executive Officer, New Business Development; Digital Garage, Inc.Naoya Fujimaki; Deputy General Manager, Corporate Development Division; Digital Garage, Inc. (Affiliations and titles are as of publication) Beyond the commoditization of payment services: Creating new value Digital Garage and Resona Holdings had been exploring the potential of the Fintech sector and developing businesses even before their joint development. Tominaga: Digital Garage has advocated the group strategy “DG FinTech Shift,” integrating payments, data, and technology since 2021. The financial industry has one of the largest market scales in Japan,...

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[The Story Behind DG×Resona Partnership #2] Driving Cashless Payments Between Businesses and Supporting SMBs’ Digital Transformation

Digital Garage — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 01:32:50 +0000

In 2022, Digital Garage and Resona Holdings formed a capital and business alliance aimed at strengthening their payment business, expanding market share, and advancing next-generation fintech business. By 2023, the partnership deepened further, extending into collaborative efforts in open innovation through startup investments. This four-part series explores the details of their collaboration and their shared vision for the future. The second installment examines the payment business, featuring an interview with Digital Garage and Resona on topics including the background of their collaboration in the payment sector and its future prospects. ＜Interviewees＞Kazuki Mochida; Group CDIO and executive officer; Resona Holdings, Inc.Katsuya Iwanaga; managing director; Resona Kessai Service Co., Ltd.Keizo Odori; director, Vice President Executive Officer and Group COO; Digital Garage, Inc.Ryuji Yamanaka; Corporate Officer; Digital Garage, Inc. Strengthening payment partnerships to expand cutting-edge financial services Digital Garage and Resona Holdings have been reinforcing their capital and business alliance since December 2023. Regarding payment business, the two groups aim to build an integrated sales structure, targeting the provision of Digital Garage’s latest payment services to Resona Group’s 500,000 corporate clients. The three main points are as follows. As planned, RKS became Digital Garage’s equity method associate in April 2024 and began offering...

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[The Story Behind DG×Resona Partnership #1] Why Digital Garage and Resona Holdings Are Strengthening Their Capital and Business Alliance

Digital Garage — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 04:36:51 +0000

In 2022, Digital Garage and Resona Holdings formed a capital and business alliance aimed at strengthening their payment business, expanding market share, and advancing next-generation fintech business. By 2023, the partnership deepened further, extending into collaborative efforts in open innovation through startup investments. This four-part series explores the details of their collaboration and their shared vision for the future. The first installment examines the background of their business alliance, providing an overview of the specific initiatives and their goals. Creating next-generation business models: Digital Garage × Resona Holdings In November 2022, Digital Garage and Resona Holdings officially entered into a capital and business alliance. While the two companies had prior business dealings, the significant potential synergies drove them to formalize their partnership. For Digital Garage, which advocates the group strategy “DG FinTech Shift,” integrating payments, data, and technology, the digital transformation (DX) of Japan’s small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs)—which constitute over 90% of domestic companies—was a major focus. The company aimed to leverage its expertise to support SMBs in their DX journey, thereby revitalizing the Japanese economy and creating next-generation business models. Resona Holdings, with its strong customer base among SMBs and its commitment to being “Retail No. 1,” emerged...

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[AI Deep Dive #01] Key Trends in Major Segments of the AI Industry

Digital Garage — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 07:41:53 +0000

[Series: AI Deep Dive]With the rapid advancement of AI technology, AI-driven businesses are evolving at an unprecedented pace. What are the key trends to watch, and what competitive strategies should companies adopt in the AI era? Experts from Digital Garage, who specialize in AI both in Japan and globally, will provide insights and analysis based on their unique perspectives and expertise. ＊WriterYuto Saeki; Business Co-Creation Department, GII Segment Division, Digital Garage, Inc. Previously held roles at Monitor Deloitte, ByteDance, and ALL STAR SAAS FUND, with extensive experience in strategic investments, partnerships, and business development. Specializes in AI, fintech, and enterprise software, focusing on investing in and supporting startups in Japan and globally. Generative AI and the rapid increase of AI startups Since the release of ChatGPT in 2022, there has been an explosive growth in artificial intelligence (AI) startups. This surge has accelerated the development of applications, new language models, and supporting infrastructure. With so many new AI services emerging, staying up to date with the latest trends is becoming increasingly challenging.According to the stock marketplace Forge Global, private-market investment in AI companies surged from 12% in 2023 to 27% in 2024. During this period, the average fundraising amount for...

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[The Future of Digital Advertising #03] The Asahi Shimbun Considers the Value of Newspapers and Ads in the Digital Era

Digital Garage — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 05:51:18 +0000

Rapid digitalization has forced newspaper companies to make major changes to their business models, including the Internet, smartphones, and generative artificial intelligence (AI). One of these is The Asahi Shimbun Company, which has frequently implemented changes through trial and era. Kenichi Takano is executive director (Digital Business / ICT Strategy / Director of Media Business) at The Asahi Shimbun Company. While reflecting on the company’s transforming digital policy, he spoke about how its past measures have revealed the value of newspapers and advertising in the digital era. This includes the asahi.com website at the dawn of the Internet era, external media outlets acquired by Asahi, and changing newspaper content in the age of smartphones. An independent company culture led to “asahi.com” at the dawn of the Internet era In the early days of the World Wide Web, the 1995 release of Microsoft Windows 95 helped bring the Internet into widespread use. That year, The Asahi Shimbun (a traditional newspaper, later referred to as “Asahi”)took its first step into the digital realm by launching asahi.com, a news website that charged no fees. Surprisingly, this effort was spearheaded by just a few interested employees. “A handful of senior employees got together to...

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Major Room for Hokkaido IT Industry Growth: Engineers Shifting From Tokyo Orders to Independent Product Development

Digital Garage — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 05:52:18 +0000

A nationwide issue in Japan is the insufficient number of information technology (IT) human resources, a shortage predicted to total 400,000 to 800,000 workers in 2030. Hokkaido is drawing a great deal of attention in this industry as many companies are opening IT offices in the prefecture, starting with the semiconductor manufacturer Rapidus. Members of the industry, government, and academia are working together to cultivate IT human resources. FEELIST, an IT company based in the City of Sapporo, made a fresh start when it joined the Digital Garage Group on July 1 and changed its name to “DG Feelist.” What is the future vision of DG Feelist, which is part of an industry undergoing transformation? We spoke with three key members: President Toshifumi Kino, Chairman Tomoya Sasaki, and Director Misaki Uto. IntervieweesTomoya SasakiCorporate Officer, Digital Garage; Chairman, DG Feelist Toshifumi KinoPresident, DG Feelist Misaki UtoDeputy head, DG Technology Division; Director, DG Feelist Two important points for hiring and training amidst an IT worker shortage The Hokkaido IT industry is experiencing rapid growth. For instance, SAKURA internet, the first domestic company authorized to provide cloud services to the national government, opened a data center in Ishikari City. Rapidus plans to start...

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Building a New IT World: The Future Vision of “AppPay,” Japan’s First Third-Party Payment Service

Digital Garage — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 09:10:33 +0000

According to news reports, the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) determined a policy to establish a new division in April 2025 that oversees and investigates major IT companies. A bill has been passed in Japan to encourage free competition in the IT field, following similar initiatives in overseas countries, and a gradual shift is underway to a new IT world, transforming the world created by major IT companies. What kind of place is this new IT world that promotes free competition? Let us consider this question while looking at third-party payment services, which are part of these new trends. A new IT world of free competition and innovation How many Japanese people use smartphones other than iPhone or Android devices? Globally, iOS (Apple) and Android (Google) smartphones have a 99.8% share. These and other Big Tech companies provide many different platforms. By utilizing their excellent technologies and large market shares, these companies have created a more convenient and fulfilling world. But while high market shares are a strength for tech companies, this situation makes it difficult for other players to enter the market and engage in free competition, and also discourages new business opportunities. To build a new IT world,...

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