Sony Innovation Fund has intensified its support for blockchain development with a $13 million investment in Startale Group. This marks the first installment of Startale’s Series A funding round, bringing the company’s total disclosed funding to $20 million. The backing aims to accelerate the growth of the Soneium blockchain platform, a project co-developed by Sony and Startale that shows significant promise in the Ethereum Layer 2 ecosystem.
A Strengthened Partnership
The collaboration between Sony and Startale Group began over a year ago and has deepened through this latest funding. Sony Block Solutions Labs Pte. Ltd., the joint venture behind Soneium, remains a cornerstone of this partnership. Soneium, which launched its mainnet in January 2025, has already processed over 500 million transactions and attracted 5.4 million active wallets. Additionally, more than 250 decentralized applications (dApps) operate on the platform, solidifying its relevance within the Layer 2 blockchain ecosystem.
The capital injection follows prior investments in Startale, including a $3.5 million seed round from Sony in 2023 and a $3.5 million seed extension co-led by UOB Venture Management and Samsung Next in 2024. This ongoing collaboration reflects Sony’s confidence in Startale’s capabilities to build blockchain infrastructure at a global scale.
Kazuhito Hadano, CEO of Sony Ventures Corporation, described Startale’s broad approach to blockchain innovation. "Startale is a company working across the blockchain space, from infrastructure to applications", Hadano said. He emphasized the company’s focus on fostering "new value flows built on on-chain technologies", and stated, "Sony looks forward to continuing to support Startale’s challenges and ambitions going forward."
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Pioneering Onchain Entertainment
As blockchain and artificial intelligence reshape the entertainment landscape, the Sony-Startale partnership is positioned to address emerging challenges. This collaboration integrates Sony’s expertise in technology and entertainment with Startale’s innovative blockchain solutions to create new models for intellectual property-driven platforms and creator-centric monetization.
Startale’s Soneium Layer 2 network has been designed with creators and fans in mind, offering a platform for participatory, onchain experiences. The Startale App serves as the ecosystem’s main gateway, combining wallet functionality with asset management and application access. Additionally, Startale USD (USDSC) acts as a unified settlement layer, enabling seamless transactions across applications, users, and payment systems within the network.
Sota Watanabe, CEO of Startale Group, highlighted the strategic importance of the partnership. "Startale has been an important partner to Sony since the early days of Soneium", Watanabe said. He reiterated their shared vision, stating, "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."
Scaling Blockchain for Global Impact
The funds will allow Startale Group to further enhance Soneium’s capabilities and expand its application ecosystem. The vertically integrated approach to blockchain development ensures that both infrastructure and user-facing services are optimized for widespread adoption, particularly in entertainment-focused use cases.
Startale Group announced the funding via its official social media channels, reaffirming its commitment to building infrastructure for onchain entertainment. In a statement, the company said, "Startale Group is proud to announce a $13M follow-on investment from Sony Innovation Fund, reinforcing the long-term shared vision between [Sony] and Startale to build infrastructure for onchain entertainment."
The partnership represents a significant step in bridging the gap between traditional media and decentralized technologies, with the ultimate goal of redefining how content is created, distributed, and experienced in the AI-driven era. As Soneium continues to grow, Sony and Startale are poised to deliver innovative solutions that empower creators and engage audiences worldwide.
