Tokyo – Japan, January 20, 2025 – Vector Inc.
(Headquarters: Tokyo; Chairman and CEO: Keiji Nishie; TYO: 6058) has
been actively supporting startup growth through investments and PR/IR
assistance. To date, Vector Inc. has invested in approximately 250 domestic
companies and has backed 32 companies achieve IPOs and sustatin post-listing growth.
As part of it’s pioneering expansion into
overseas investments, Vector Inc. has decided to invest in bythen, an Indonesian-based AI startup, and
enter into a capital and business alliance.
The Global IP market has been experiencing
rapid growth, reaching approximately USD 315.5 billion in 2021-threee times its
size a decade ago. Additionally, the rise of social media has fuled the
expansion of the “creator economy,” where individuals can develop and
montize their own original IP.
bythen empowers users to creative AI-powered
digital twins, produce engaging content, and live stream, unlocking new
opportunites to elevate their online presence and monetize influence. The
platform democratizes access to virtual influencers, leveraging AI-driven content
generation to enbale 24/7 automated engagement across social media platforms. bythen
is poised to disrupt the $325 billion creator economy and empower over 200
million global content creators.
Kevin Mintaraga, the founder of bythen, is a
globally recognized serial entrepreneur. He previously built Magnivate, which
was acquired by WPP in 2012, and Bridestory, which was acquired by Tokopedia in
2019.
Looking ahead, the Vector Inc. will continue
to expand its focus beyond domestic companies to include overseas companies, driving
business and economic growth by investing in companies with cutting-edge
technologies and world-leading services.
Profile of Kevin Mintaraga, CEO of bythen
・Co-founded Magnivate, a digital agency (now Mirum
Agency), in 2008.
・Sold Magnivate to WPP, the world’s largest advertising
and marketing company, in 2012 and
served as the youngest subsidiary CEO in WPP’s history until 2013.
・Founded Bridestory in 2013, which grew into
Indonesia’s largest wedding
marketplace
and was acquired by Tokopedia in 2019.
・Served as CMO of Tokopedia (now part of the GoTo
Group) from 2019.
・Featured on Campaign Asia’s Power List for four consecutive
years.
Comment from Kevin Mintaraga
“Japan is
a global leader in the virtual influencer industry and a powerhouse of IP
content. Receiving investment from Vector, Asia’s largest PR company with a vast
domestic and international network, is a great honor.
Vector’s
strong reputation and customer network in Japan and the broader Asian region
will play a pivotale role in helping bythen promote its avatar collections and
solutions. Furthermore, this partnership opens the possibility for
collaborations between bythen and Japan’s iconic IPs.
Until now, the
rights to virtual influencer IPs were typically owned by companies, limiting
individuals’ freedom to customize and adapt them. bythen aims to democratize
virtual influencer IPs globally by providing users with tools and solutions to
build and grow their digital presence.”
Profile of Ryo Umezawa, Vice President of New
Business Development and Global M&A, Vector Inc.
・Spent ten years
in the Philippines before graduating from Sophia
University
with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in International Business and Economics, in
2007.
・Interned at J-Seed during university, contributing to
business launches
and marketing activities
from 2005.
・Worked at Traffic Gate (now LinkShare Japan) from
2008, building smartphone ad network businesses and developing voice
recognition search app
・Co-founded two startups, a mobile marketing company
and a coupon aggregation business
・Served as the CEO of HAILO Japan, a taxi-hailing app,
and held executive roles
at HomeAway
Japan, Tinder Japan, and investment funds East Ventures and Antler.
・Appointed as Vice President of New Business
Development and Global M&A at Vector Inc. in 2024.
Comment from Ryo Umezawa
“It is a
great honor to support an entrepreneur embarking on his third venture with a
vision of democratizing AI virtual characters and pursuing global expansion.
This initiative will showcase Japan’s content and culture globally, unlock
creators’ full potential, and contribute to the growth of the sharing
economy.”
This press release has also been published on VRITIMES
