"Startbahn Co., Ltd., which ECF announced a business alliance with in October of 2019, has launched “Startbahn Cert. ", a blockchain certificate issuing service with an IC tag for art.
ECF will select artists in need of the Startbahn Cert. and provide it to them free of charge. This is one of the ways ECF is supporting artists.

Please send an e-mail to info@m-ecf.com if you want.

Startbahn Corporation has launched a “Startbahn Cert.”, a Blockchain Certificate Issuing Service with IC Tags for Art.

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000026.000016730.html

Launch of “Startbahn Cert.”, a Blockchain Certificate Issuing Service with IC Tags for Art
Sales Targeted to Domestic and Overseas Galleries, Art Schools and Other Certificate Issuing Organizations

Startbahn Corporation (hereinafter referred to as Startbahn), creator of “Startrail" (a Blockchain infrastructure that supports the distribution of art works) has launched a beta version of “Startbahn Cert.”, a service which provides a set of Startrail Blockchain certificates and IC tags. With Startbahn Cert. the user can issue, transfer, and view information on “blockchain certificates with IC tags”, making it easy to link real art works to information on the blockchain.

Overview of Startbahn Cert.
Startbahn Cert. is a service that can issue and manage a "Startrail Blockchain Certificate” (hereinafter referred to as ‘certificate’) for artworks and a “Work Management Tag with an IC chip” (hereinafter referred to as “IC tag”) linked to the information. There are two types of IC tags, stickers and cards, and the owner of the artwork can read the certificate information on a smartphone or similar device. Businesses involved in the distribution of art works can issue and transfer certificates through the web interface.

Startbahn Cert. has been created through Startrail (formerly Art Blockchain Network, https://startrail.io), an art distribution blockchain infrastructure. With Startbahn Cert. the user can manage both the certificate issued on Startrail and the work itself while utilizing IC tags, thus making it easy to link the distribution status of the work itself in real space and the certificate existing on the Blockchain with the applicable history.

The certificate records information such as the issuer of the certificate, the title of the work, and its creator; thus the reliability of the certificate is guaranteed. In addition to replacing the conventional paper certificate, it is also possible to set specific rules, such as those pertaining to distribution and use of money returned to the creator, etc. Furthermore, businesses that do not currently have a web system for selling and managing artworks can issue and transfer certificates using Startbahn Cert.

Special Features of Startbahn Cert.
With Startbahn Cert., the “UID” of the IC chip embedded in the IC tag (a unique ID assigned when the NFC chip is manufactured) and the ID of the certificate are linked in a one-to-one connection. When the owner holds his or her smartphone or other similar device over the IC tag, the Startbahn Cert. Viewer opens and the information (work information, publisher information, history, specific rules, etc.) recorded on the certificate can be viewed. In addition, businesses involved in the distribution of art works can establish certificates on the Startbahn Cert. website, issue certificates to the creators and owners of the works, and update the transaction histories. In the history information the user can record the ownership history and exhibition history of the artwork.

Startbahn Cert. will continue to improve and enhance its services; for example, we are currently considering the addition of such functions as: (a) providing information at exhibitions by using QR codes; and (b) interlocking with warehouse management by additionally embedding UHF chips that can be read over long distances.

How to Order the Blockchain Certificate with the IC Tag
IC tags can be selected from two types, stickers or cards, so that they can be attached according to the shape and material of the work. Each type can be customized to an original design that includes the company name and logo. Any kind of art-related company (galleries, art schools and organizations which issue artwork certificates) can sell and provide their own brands.

Prices start from ¥3,000 (tax not included) for each sticker and ¥3,500 (tax not included) for each card. Design customization is charged separately. Orders have already been received, so if you are a business operator interested in the Blockchain Certificate with the IC tag please fill out the required form on the Startbahn Cert. website (https://cert.startbahn.io) and contact us.

Left and center: original design sample of IC tag (card, 8.6 x 5.4cm/sticker, 1.8 x 1.8cm)
Right: IC chip built into the IC tag

3,000 Certificates with IC Tags Supplied to the Eastern Culture Foundation (EFC) for a Fee
As an initial introduction of Startbahn Cert., 3,000 Blockchain Certificates with IC tags were supplied for a fee to ECF, which announced a business partnership with Startbahn in October, 2019. ECF will select artists in need of the Startbahn Cert. and provide it to them free of charge. This is one of the ways ECF is supporting artists.

Using the prize money received from the Montblanc International Culture Award, the Eastern Culture Foundation was recreated from the Montblanc & Terrada Foundation and established by Yoshihisa Nakano, former president and CEO of Terrada Warehouse, with a vision of cultivating a more culturally rich Eastern Asia area which transcends regions and borders. Other councilors include the architect, Kengo Kuma and the President and Representative Director of Haneda Future Research Institute, Inc., Hiroshi Onishi. Since 2020, we have been engaged in various art-related activities, exchanges of human resources, and support for young artists mainly in Asia.

This is expected to achieve further support of young artists who have been motivated from the beginning of the development of Startrail, and to lead to further global expansion in the future. Additionally, we plan to introduce Startbahn Cert. to several organizations.

About Startrail
Startrail is an infrastructure for distribution and evaluation that uses blockchain to secure the credit collateral of art works and support further development. Issuing a Startrail blockchain certificate that records the basic information of a work enables distribution management, such as recording history information, across all stakeholders involved in the distribution of the work. In addition, it is possible to automatically execute rules set by the artist regarding distribution and use of the works (including money returned to the artist) every time a transaction is made.

Since the announcement of the blockchain project in July of 2018 by Startbahn, the “Art Blockchain Network” has undergone a demonstration period of just over a year and has been refined and improved. Based on the widespread feedback from many art-related businesses participating as partners, in October of 2019 we published a full “White Paper” illustrating the whole picture. “Art Blockchain Network” was renamed “Startrail” in March of 2020 and we plan to further expand the business in the future.

In addition, Startrail will be run by the Startrail Council, an organization led by Startbahn, to maintain independence and fairness as a public infrastructure. In the future we plan for this council to be jointly operated by multiple experts, companies and organizations.

Overview of Startbahn
Startbahn is a company that aims to realize a more artistically and culturally rich society by providing the technologies needed by artists and everyone involved in the art industry all around the world. ECF is promoting the construction of “Startrail”, an art distribution and evaluation infrastructure which utilizes blockchain technology. In addition, as a service connected to Startrail, Startbahn is developing the online service "Startbahn Cert." to be used by joint business ventures of corporations and organizations utilizing blockchain.

For Inquiries about this Release
Please contact Startbahn Corporation Public Relations Officer: Ms. Mizuno
Inquiry URL: https://cert.startbahn.io
Email address: pr@startbahn.jp

※The contents of this news release are true as of the date of release. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice.