Startale Group, a leading global crypto solution provider, has announced a follow-on investment of US$13 million from Sony Innovation Fund ( SIF ), underscoring Sony’s confidence in the crypto solution provider’s vision and execution in building the next generation of on-chain infrastructure at the intersection of entertainment, IP, and AI. 

This milestone builds on a partnership that began in September 2023 with Startale's seed round and has since expanded through Sony Block Solutions Labs Pte. Ltd. ( SBSL ), the joint venture behind Soneium, a co-developed Ethereum Layer 2. 

Strengthening the Partnership

Sony's continued investment reflects the tangible progress achieved through the partnership to date and a shared belief in Startale's vertically integrated approach to on-chain infrastructure. 

Soneium has rapidly evolved into a leading entertainment-native blockchain platform. Since launching mainnet in January 2025, Soneium has grown to over 500 million processed transactions, 5.4 million active wallets, and more than 250 live dApps, establishing itself as one of the notable Layer 2 networks in the ecosystem, according to a statement. 

Alongside this, the Startale App is emerging as the primary gateway to the Soneium ecosystem, bringing together wallet functionality, asset management and seamless access to applications. Startale USD ( USDSC ) adds a unified settlement layer that connects applications, users and payments across Soneium.

Advancing Soneium ecosystem

This expanded investment underscores the shared vision between Sony and Startale to build infrastructure for on-chain entertainment, where IP, creators and communities converge in the AI era.

As generative AI reshapes how content is created and distributed, the entertainment industry is rethinking authenticity, creator economics, and fan engagement. 

By combining Startale’s expertise in blockchain infrastructure and Sony’s strength in entertainment and technology, the partnership is suitable to advance new models for IP-led platforms, creator-centric monetization and more participatory fan experiences.

“Startale has been an important partner to Sony since the early days of Soneium,” says Sota Watanabe, CEO of Startale Group. “Our vision is to bring the world on-chain, and Sony’s continued support strengthens our ability to deliver the infrastructure required to realize that vision at global scale”.

“Startale is a company working across the blockchain space, from infrastructure to applications, says Kazuhito Hadano, CEO of Sony Ventures Corporation. “With a global perspective, the team is focused on enabling new value flows built on on-chain technologies. Through our ongoing collaboration around Soneium, we look forward to continuing to support Startale’s challenges and ambitions going forward.”