Digital Garage Hosts THE NEW CONTEXT CONFERENCE 2023 Spring Under the Theme of “web3 Japan Summit in San Francisco”

– Digital Garage, Inc. and DG Lab^*1, an open innovation R&D organization, will host THE NEW CONTEXT CONFERENCE 2023 Spring (NCC 2023 Spring), a conference to discuss “new context” for a digital society, in San Francisco on April 7, 2023.

This conference is designed for those interested in exploring cutting-edge Internet technologies and the businesses that emerge around them. To prepare a value-based society globally, it focuses on “new contexts” that contribute to the development of society and is intended to deepen understanding through discussions between experts and participants. This will be the twenty-fourth conference since the first one was held in 2005.

NCC 2023 Spring will be hosted by Kaoru Hayashi and Joichi Ito, the co-founders of DG, who have been at the forefront of the Internet since its initial stage at “Digital Garage @ 717 Market Street”^*2 in San Francisco.
As regulators worldwide are growing wary of crypto-assets, Japan is actively embracing web3 for social impact. We will explore the current state of the web3 ecosystem in Japan and offer insights into opportunities for global startups seeking to expand to Japan. This NCC will bring together top minds, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to share insights on regulatory policies, market trends, and business opportunities in Japan’s rapidly evolving web3 space.

Our guests include Evan Cheng, Co-Founder and CEO of Mysten Labs, which is developing the Layer 1 blockchain, Sui; Yoshiro Tasaka, Director of the global strategy division of Shibuya City Office; Michelle Huang, Founder of akiyaDAO, which focuses on the issue of vacant houses in Japan; and Maika Isogawa, Co-Founder and CEO of Webacy, a web3 startup in San Francisco. We will also invite people leading the way in the next-generation technology.

【Event outline】
Date and time: April 7 (Friday), 2023, 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (PST)
Venue: Digital Garage @ 717 Market Street (717 Market Street, San Francisco, USA)
Organizer: Digital Garage, Inc.
Co-organizer: DG Lab
Collaboration partner: DG717, Digital Architecture Lab^*3
Official website: https://ncc.garage.co.jp/2023spring/
Participation: Free
Please register on Eventbrite (https://ncc2023sfspring.eventbrite.com).
Host:
Kaoru Hayashi (DG Representative Director, President Executive Officer and Group CEO / Kakaku.com, Inc. Executive Chairman)
Joichi Ito (DG Board member, and Senior Managing Executive Officer and Chief Architect)

*The information of speakers and programs will be updated on the official website as needed.
*This information is current as of the date of the announcement. Program contents and speaker information are subject to change. Please be forewarned.

【Agenda】
Session1：web3 Infrastructure
We will delve into the technical foundations of web3 in Japan and explore the role of Japan in shaping the future of web3 infrastructure.

Session2：web3 Law and Regulations
We will provide insights from legal experts on the regulatory landscape for web3 in Japan, and offer insights for web3 entrepreneurs on navigating the legal landscape and identifying opportunities in the region.

Session3：web3 Communities and Contents
We will highlight the emergence of regional web3 communities and content in Japan, and explore the opportunities and challenges that arise.

Session4：Collaborating with Japan
Government officials and representatives from leading Japanese corporations will present their ideas for collaboration with web3 startups.

*1: An open innovation research organization operated by Digital Garage, Inc., Kakaku.com, and KDDI Corporation with the aim of creating new businesses. (https://www.dglab.com/)
*2: DG717 is an incubation center established by DG in 2013 on Market Street in San Francisco for the purpose of supporting startups. (https://dg717.com/)
*3: Digital Architecture Lab is a research organization established by Digital Garage to design and promote the implementation of next-generation social structures driven by the evolution of technology in 2022. (https://dalab.xyz/)

【Speakers】

Maika is the Co-Founder and CEO of Webacy – the protection layer for self-custody. Webacy develops tools and services to make self-custody safer and easier. Webacy is strictly non-custodial and no-access (no seed phrases, private keys, or passwords) and is backed by some of the biggest names in blockchain. She is also a former professional acrobat and performer for the Cirque du Soleil brand of shows. She attended Stanford University and is a Forbes 30 Under 30 lister.

Kiyo is Co-Founder and CEO of Noxx, a payroll and compliance tool for a pseudonymous talent. He also founded one of the largest web3 social DAOs in Japan with 8K+ members. In addition, he was the Co-Founder and CEO of Nobot, the 2nd largest mobile ad network in Japan. He has invested in 40+ startups and VCs including crypto funds.

Michelle Huang is the Founder of akiyaDAO and a mixed-media digital artist focused on creating immersive experiences and exploring technologies related to human flourishing. akiyaDAO is a community-driven project to purchase and renovate a 250-year-old home in Japan into an omni-maker space to house creative residences. Previously, she worked in investment banking at Goldman Sachs, then in product at a unicorn startup in SF, before transitioning to a full-time creative via a sabbatical. Her work has been featured on Business Insider, NPR (National Public Radio), Vox Media (Now This), ABC, CNET, The Independent, BBC, and more.

Evan is the winner of the prestigious 2012 ACM Software System Award. He has an extensive background in platform development, with more than 25 years of building developer-facing technology and leading engineering teams at companies such as Apple and Facebook. Prior to founding Mysten Labs, he led the Novi Research at Meta developing cutting-edge blockchain technologies. In addition to his expertise in research and development, he is a Web 3.0 advocate and entrepreneur.

Yoshiro Tasaka is the director of the global strategy division at Shibuya City Office. He was previously the Vice President of Landlog, a construction tech company. He also spent 9 years in San Francisco as a special advisor for the Consul General of Japan in San Francisco. In January 2020, he was appointed to the current position by Mayor Hasebe. His role is to make Shibuya a global startup ecosystem city.

Kai is a Canadian computer programmer and serial entrepreneur. He is currently Co-Founder and CEO of Parasol, a web3 R&D lab that systematically launches protocols and services that aim to radically improve the internet.

Previously, he built operating systems at Meta that powered the Quest VR headset line. He was a researcher at the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) where he designed and deployed software for internet censorship circumvention. He also lectured at the Berkeley School of Information, examining the social dimensions of digital technologies, surveillance capitalism and internet communities. He completed a BA in computer science and mathematics at the University of California, Berkeley where he was the founder of the Open Access Initiative.