Japanese Tech Company canow Co. Ltd. Collaborates with Chinese Blockchain Incubator B-Labs As a Part of Its Global Expansion Program
canow Co. Ltd CEO Kunihiro Katsuragi and B-Labs CEO Lola Wang speak in-depth about their recent strategic partnership and offer valuable insights about the blockchain industry in Japan and China.
As a part of its global expansion program, canow Co. Ltd has recently collaborated with B-Labs, which is one of the leading blockchain incubators of China. It is expected to benefit from this collaboration, especially with B-Labs’ strategic parental relation with the OK Group, Canaan, and the Chinese Government.
About canow Co. Ltd
canow Co. Ltd is a Japanese company established recently in the month of April this year. It provides products and services based on blockchain technology in the following areas – Business Development, Cryptocurrency oriented consultancy, Digital Marketing, and Fund Raising. As part of its expansion plan to support global start-ups, canow is currently establishing strategic partnerships with incubators and companies from all across the world, under the leadership of Kunihiro Katsuragi and Ryohei Osaka
About B-Labs
B-Labs was established at the end of 2018 by prominent members of the OK Group – Delta Research Institute, a joint venture between the Zhejiang Provincial Government and Tsinghua University & Canaan, a global supercomputing solution provider, which is also the world’s first publicly listed company in the blockchain industry.
It provides real space and incubation services for blockchain entrepreneurs and start-up companies. Located at the center of Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, B-Labs has an 1800 square meters space, that provides a full range of office services, and also hosts several blockchain events. Apart from being a full-fledged incubator, B-Labs also provides services like marketing promotion, financing, technical support, legal and compliance, etc.
In a recent interview, Kunihiro Katsuragi from canow and Lola Wang. B-Labs CEO talked at length about their recent collaboration and offered valuable insights about the Japanese and Chinese blockchain industry.
Insights From the Interview
- Formation of the Partnership
Katsuragi explained that the roots of the partnership go back to the days when he visited China and connected with B-Labs. He said that after a 6-month long discussion, he finally understood the similarities in vision between the two companies – that of supporting blockchain-based startups globally via products, services, and incubation spaces.
Lola reasoned that, based on the financial policies of the Japanese government, it seems that Japan has a positive and embracing attitude towards adopting blockchain technology. The recent partnership with canow is a reflection of Lola and B-Labs’ optimism about Japanse blockchain space. He added that the partnership is also based on B-Labs’ constant attention towards having a more globalized approach and adapting to the latest trends. Apart from these, the fact that OKCoin, a subsidiary of the OK group recently obtained an official license in Japan has also contributed towards B-Labs’ interest in the Japanese market.
Scope of the Collaboration
When asked about what does he expect from B-Labs as a strategic partner, Katsuragi stressed B-Labs’ strong connection with key players in the industry. He explained that the collaboration with B-Labs will help canow in terms of business development and information acquisition. He has the opinion that Japanese businesses are lagging behind in terms of accurate information, and the linguistic difference acts as a major hurdle when it comes to communicating with leading industry players, Katsuragi is confident that the partnership with B-Labs will help them communicate effectively with global leaders backed by accurate information.
On the other hand, B-Labs expects to introduce superior Chinese technology to the world, which according to her is not yet well-evaluated. Lola explained that, through the recent partnership, she looks forward to executing efficient technology transfer to and from China.
Katsuragi jumped in saying that together with B-Labs, canow wants to contribute towards innovating new solutions and also help to revive the Corona-struck global economy. He added that both companies will work on areas such as education beyond just business.
State of the Chinese Blockchain industry
Responding to how the Chinese blockchain industry is shaping up, Lola talked about how the government-issued blockchain support policies are advocating the development of blockchain in China. She added that B-Labs will further strengthen its efforts towards technology development and blockchain application, in alignment with government regulations and policies.
Expressing his opinion about Chinese blockchain entrepreneurs and start-ups, Katsuragi lauded how Chinese ventures are hardworking, value-oriented, fast-paced, and mission-driven. He added that he is impressed by how Chinese blockchain entrepreneurs are not only concerned about profits but are also trying to create positive social impacts through their innovations.
Differences between the Japanese and Chinese Blockchain Space
Katsuragi presented an interesting argument when asked about how the Chinese blockchain industry is different. He explained that due to the Chinese systems and regulations, which are quite different from that of Japan, there are several differences like that of token positioning for startups. He explained,
‘Take the stock market for example. In Japan, only a limited number of angel investors may invest in a startup that aims for an IPO and purchase unlisted stock to obtain a listed profit. This is not the case with tokens. ICOs and IEOs are more dependent on a large number of small-scale investors who buy listed tokens. This is how startups in Japan raise funds from small investors. However, in China, there is a trend of so-called double-exits. Angel investors bet on tokens and are given stock shares depending upon their investment amount when the company is listed.’
He added that the regulations by the Financial Services Agency are strict, and it is difficult to raise money in Japan. However, Katsuragi also stressed the fact that the FSA is only trying to keep out bad actors – and hence the strict regulations. However, he believes that these restrictions will eventually become more friendly. Katsuragi also touched upon the point that many people actually consider Japanese regulations to be the future standard at a global level.
Thoughts on Incubation Services
Commenting on the role of incubation services, Katsuragi suggested that incubators should be aligned to exchanges. As per his experience, in China, tokens are assigned according to the characteristics of the exchange. More so, the method of marketing and asset management is decided accordingly. He believes that angel investors play a major role in such systems.
Having said that, Katsuragi pointed out that crypto projects are no longer going to see 10X or 20X rise in token price, even in China, unless those are very promising and offer real-life value. He added that in the incubation system, it is going to be important to position tokens in a manner that people understand their value and ultimately become fans.
He also applauded the fact that Chinese incubators connect with good exchanges, real business, and legal currency.
canow Co. Ltd: Future Plans
When asked about his future plans with canow, Katsuragi stressed strongly upon his plans to educate the people about blockchain.
Gone are the days when you can make a fortune by listing tokens, and expect those to sell off in seconds. I would like to enhance educational content that logically explains how to use tokens for business while abiding by the current laws and regulations. Despite regulatory and institutional barriers, it is important to raise overall literacy in regard to blockchain technology, token usage, and fund-raising.
Katsuragi assured that canow is also focused on making steady sales of products and services while making constant social contributions.
Summing Up
Katsuragi concluded that, based on all of these visions, the recent partnership with B-Labs, one of the biggest blockchain incubators in China is a great boost. B-Labs’ wide network comprising of key players in the industry and strong technical know-how will help canow Co.Ltd strengthens its global expansion program. He further added that canow is looking forward to developing strategic partnerships with more ventures globally to grow on the basis of innovative technology and ideas. In fact, canow already has 10 companies, including Incubators and exchanges, lined up for upcoming collaboration.
Katsuragi Kunihiro – Profile
Birth: 1995, Japan
Professional Summary: Katsuragi has previously served as the COO of IFA Co., Ltd.; conceptualized the idea of ‘data bank’ and actively participated in negotiations with overseas exchanges and companies. He has also featured as a speaker on prominent platforms like Delta summit and D.FINE, among many others. Katsuragi recently founded canow Co. Ltd to help bridge the gap between Japanese businesses and overseas ventures. Currently, he is working on providing incubation services through canow and its strategic partners.
Lola Wang – Profile
Birth: China
Education: Master’s degree from a Spanish university
Professional Summary: Lola started her career in media & public relations at Blue Focus Group. She joined the OK Group in 2018 and served as one of the founding members of B-Labs. Lola is currently the CEO of B-Labs and is working actively to enhance China’s tech footprint at the global level.
Media Details
Company Name: canow co.,ltd
Media contact: Ray Osaka
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://canow-jp.com/
Country: Japan
Twitter: https://twitter.com/canow_japan
