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
