Infrastructure-of-art Business | Startbahn, Inc.

We are developing Startrail, an infrastructure for the distribution and evaluation of artworks, for a thriving fine arts ecosystem by furthering its trust and credibility.

This infrastructure provides an environment which actors around the world can access and where they can manage provenance of artworks and comply with the rules together.

The traditional certificate management system has many risks, such as tampering, copying, counterfeiting, and losing. These risks are detrimental to the credibility of the art market and the value of an art piece that depends on the evaluation in the secondary distribution. Players involved in the secondary art market often spend a considerable amount of time and money on background checks and rights management of an art piece to secure its credibility.

Startrail, the blockchain network for art, can solve issues like the above in the art market.

By issuing a Startrail Registry Record (SRR) for an artwork, every time it is bought, sold, given, displayed, stored, or restored, such information will be automatically recorded on SRR. The tamper-resistant and transparent nature of the blockchain ensures the authenticity of those pieces of information, thus protecting the true value of the artwork.

SRR also allows artists to set their own rules regarding the distribution and the transaction of their work. Therefore, if desired, the artist can automatically earn profits generated at the secondary distribution as a royalty-type revenue.

Startrail is a platform that all art businesses can connect to across services. By distributing SRRs along with artworks, we will connect both non- and for-profit art-related services around the world and automatically record the provenance of all artworks. With this new art infrastructure, we will realize a world where secondary distribution and use of the artworks become easier.

To ensure its independence and fairness, Startrail will be operated by “The Startrail Consortium,” a voluntary organization led by Startbahn. In the future, we plan for this consortium to be jointly led by multiple experts, companies, and organizations.

The white paper of Startrail was released in 2019 to give a full picture of the project including its vision and specifications.

▼ For further information, visit:
https://startrail.io/

OTHER SERVICES

Startbahn is developing two businesses of our own, as the first leading services using Startrail. Our goal is to provide services that enable more users to fully experience the benefit of using Startrail. Startbahn Cert. "Startbahn Cert." is a service that allows certificate-issuing organizations to issue and manage a "Startrail Blockchain Certificate” (Certificate) for artworks and an “Artwork Management Tag with an IC chip” (IC Tag) linked to the Certificate information. An artwork owner can view his/her artwork’s Certificate information by scanning the IC Tag with his/her smartphones or similar devices. Organizations involved in the distribution of artworks can issue and transfer Certificates through the online interface. It is a new system that combines the benefits of two technologies: the Blockchain Certificate and the IC Tag. A Blockchain Certificate allows you to manage and update provenance and relevant information on the artwork continuously. An IC Tag links those pieces of digitized information to the physical work of art, managing its real-world transactions. Each IC Tag can be customized with an original design, for example, inserting an issuer’s logo on it. Any kind of art-related organizations such as galleries, art schools, and certificate-issuing organizations can sell and provide the Certificates as their own brands. ▼ For further information, visit:https://startbahn.jp/en/press-startbahncert-20200325/ We are already open for business with a beta version. If you are interested in the Blockchain Certificate with the IC Tag, please contact us by filling out the inquiry form on the Startbahn Cert. website (https://cert.startbahn.io). startbahn “startbahn” is a web service that connects you and art. Artists can issue a Startrail Blockchain Certificate for each piece of work on startbahn, as well as using it as a portfolio and sales platform for their own creations. Collectors will be able to purchase their favorite pieces without having to visit the gallery. It is assuring for collectors since the value of a purchase is guaranteed by the Startrail Blockchain Certificate. The record of the Certificate created on startbahn can be used for transferring rights of the work on other services in the future. Without worrying about the current ownership status of the work or unauthorized transactions that the artists are unaware of, they can see that the value of the work remains for decades or hundreds of years to come. ▼ Visit startbahnhttps://startbahn.org
We are developing joint businesses with various corporate partners and organizations.Our goal is to make Startrail widely used where many more agents manage provenance and comply with handling rules of artwork across services. Maecenas Fine Art Ltd. Maecenas is a leading start-up working on improving transparency and liquidity of the art investment globally, with a focus on Hong Kong and Singapore. They are developing a blockchain-driven platform where fractionalized pieces of fine art are bought and sold with security. Fractional ownership tokens issued on Maecenas will gain a new source of credibility for art investors by referring to the certificate and history information on Startrail. Startrail is also working to provide a new form of liquidity of the artwork for the artwork owners on Startrail (private collectors, museums, etc.) by connecting Startrail with fractional ownership investors overseas through Maecenas. ▼ Click here for details.https://startbahn.jp/en/20191003-maecenas/ TANSEISHA Co., Ltd. We are jointly developing “B-OWND,” a Startrail-based platform for sales and distribution of arts and crafts. “B-OWND” is a platform that directly connects Japanese artists and craftspeople with collectors (purchasers), curators, and art critics from around the world. We aim to create an environment where those involved in the art ecosystem and the public can see third-party evaluations for a piece by publicizing the evaluations and communications among artists, collectors, and curators. B-OWND's website: https://www.b-ownd.com ▼ Click here for details.https://www.tanseisha.co.jp/news/info/2018/post-27750 (Japanese) Wacom Co., Ltd. We are working with Wacom Co., Ltd., the top shareholder in the creative solutions business, for the prosperity in the digital arts market. Wacom provides various products such as pen tablets to creators in 150 countries and regions. We are linking Wacom's digital signature technology, WILL™, with Startrail. Creators using devices such as pen tablets will be able to claim the rights to their work and receive the money generated in its secondary distribution as royalty-type revenues. Our goal is to contribute to the further growth of the digital art market by developing a foundation for the protection of rights and distribution of digital artworks globally. ▼ Click here for details.https://startbahn.jp/press-20191126-wacom/ (Japanese)