2023 Year Recap — The Activities of IOST Japan and Ecosystem Partners
Year 2023 was a significant year for IOST Japan and its community. It marked the beginning of a new era with the launch of new projects, collaborations, and events, enriching the IOST ecosystem. Beyond Japan, IOST teams and communities were established in Hong Kong and Dubai.
Expansion of the IOST Ecosystem in New Territories
Hong Kong
In April, a private seminar was co-hosted by IOST Hong Kong and Cyberport, which is 100% owned by the Hong Kong government, aimed at building Hong Kong’s Web3 ecosystem. Since then, the IOST team has been collaborating with Hong Kong-based projects and stakeholders to develop the Web3 ecosystem in Hong Kong.
Dubai
In June, the ‘IOST Launch Party’ was held in Dubai, aiming to expand the IOST community. This year, IOST has strengthened community engagement in Dubai and co-hosted several events with Dubai-based venture capitalists and projects.
New Team Leader Appointment
Blake Becomes Co-CEO
In February of this year, Blake Jeong, who had been serving as the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), was appointed as the Co-CEO of IOST. He participated in the YouTube channel of OKCoin Japan, a cryptocurrency exchange, and discussed the inception and development of IOST.
Crypto & Web3 Community and Educational Activities in Japan
Education and Talent Development
Third Web3 Industry-Academia Education Hackathon with Students from Kindai University
The third blockchain education hackathon, ‘HIVEHack2023,’ co-hosted by Kindai University’s Moriyama Laboratory and IOST, was held on November 24, 2023, for two days at the Kindai University Academic Theater. Kindai University is renowned as one of the most innovation-driven universities in Japan, attracting students eager to engage in innovative projects. The event was supported by companies dedicated to Web3 education, including the cryptocurrency exchange OKCoin Japan, DApp development infrastructure provider Bunzz, and IOST developer Eversystem.
Regional Revitalization Web3 Workshop at Akita International University
The second edition of the workshop ‘The Future of Digital from the Regions — Blockchain-led Regional Revitalization,’ a joint industry-academia initiative in Web3, was held at Akita International University on December 1, 2023. This event brought together representatives from the Web3 industry, including CRYPTO TIMES, Meta Akita, Climbers by Platinum Egg, and IOST, to discuss blockchain technology and regional revitalization.
Community Events and Conferences
Hong Kong Cyberport — Private Session
During the Web3 Hong Kong Festival on April 13, IOST and Cyberport, an innovation incubation company wholly owned by the Hong Kong government, held a meeting with participants from the IOST community from Japan. They exchanged views on the development of Hong Kong’s Web3 ecosystem and the Japanese model of Web3.
Hong Kong Science and Technology Park (HKSTP)
On April 14, 2023, IOST and the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park (HKSTP) held an exchange meeting, which included participation from Japanese Web3 companies, on the theme of ‘Blockchain + Corporate Digital Transformation.’ Representatives of the Science Park provided a tour of its 220,000 square meters facility.
Hong Kong Web3 Summit Co-Hosted by IOST
On May 15, the ‘2023 Hong Kong Web3 Summit’ was held at the Cyberport facility, a Hong Kong government agency located in Kowloon Tong. This event was co-hosted by IOST, BitValue Capital, Alibaba Cloud, Animoca Ventures, Cyberport, RACA, HashKey, and OSL. The Climbers team, a Web3 game from Japan, also participated in the summit.
WebX Asia 2023 by CoinPost
IOST Japan participated in ‘Web3 Asia 2023,’ the largest Web3/cryptocurrency conference in Asia and a first for Coinpost, a Japanese crypto media. At the IOST ecosystem booth, early participants in the IOST node partner program, including Eversystem, Platinum Egg, and Stir Network, were present.
Web3 Community Party
As a side event of WebX, we co-hosted a party for the community in collaboration with OKCoin Japan. The event was supported by a range of Japanese and global Web3 projects (IOST AI Labs, Stir Network, Overlay, Cabinet, Joyfa, Climbers, Air World, MUXIC, TwiPlay). Attendees received bags printed with the panda character symbolizing the friendship between OKCoin Japan and IOST. There was also a quiz contest where participants could win IOST tokens.
Web3 in Nagoya! Blockchain Business Use Cases
IOST Japan hosted an event showcasing blockchain development and use cases at the Aichi Industrial Labor Center ‘Wink Aichi.’ The speakers included Mr. Li from HashKeyDX, who co-organized the event, Dr. Wada from Eversystem, headquartered in Nagoya, Cabinet, which is planning a development base in Nagoya, and Mr. Ishida, a member of the Web3 business launch team at Avex Technologies.
End-of-Year Web3 Community Gathering
IOST and OKCoin Japan co-hosted the annual end-of-year gathering for the Web3 community in 2023. The event was attended by OKCoin Japan users, members of the Web3 community, cryptocurrency and Web3 media, Web3 project teams, cryptocurrency service providers authorized by the Financial Services Agency, major consulting firms involved in Web3 business, banks offering Web3 financial services, as well as university professors and students engaged in research and education of the Web3 ecosystem. Participants enjoyed a bingo game with prizes provided by sponsoring companies, shared delicious meals, and reflected on the year 2023.
New Projects and Partners
CoinTrade and MOPPY convert site points in IOST tokens
HashKey DX joins as an IOST node partner
Climbers Game Welcomes IOST Warrior Character
Unlocking Aromas in the Digital Age
CoinTrade as Mercury joins IOST Ecosystem Node Partner
Meta Akita — A Web3 Partnership for Regional Revitalization
Japan has a very strong community supporting IOST. Their commitment and activities play a crucial role in sustainably developing Web3 projects in the world of cryptocurrencies. The contributions and dedication of each member of this community are invaluable, and we are deeply grateful for the community’s efforts.
Thank you very much for everything in 2023!
IOST Japan Official X: https://twitter.com/IOSToken_jp
