Top VC supports the global DePIN project "Mawari," leading innovations in 3D delivery, and has released information on "Decentralized Infrastructure Offering (DIO)" | CoinDesk JAPAN

It's frustrating that you can't experience actual 3D visuals in the article. Right now, generative AI is making headlines in the technology sector, but there's another technology that is expected to become commonplace in a few years and bring us new experiences. It's called "Spatial Computing."

And, the leading global DePIN project "Mawari" has released information about its "Decentralized Infrastructure Offering (DIO)". Animoca Brands Japan, which supports its deployment in Japan, has started pre-registration.

Animoca Brands Japan: "Mawari" DIO - Pre-registration form

Here, we will provide an overview of spatial computing and DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure), as well as the potential that "Mawari" holds.

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The term "spatial computing" is not yet widely used, but it began to gain recognition among technology professionals and those sensitive to cutting-edge tech when Apple announced its 3D headset "Vision Pro" in June 2023. Everyone who has experienced the "Vision Pro" has expressed their amazement. The 3D space that unfolds before their eyes creates an overwhelming sense of immersion, as if they are truly present in that space. Its application is expected not only in entertainment but also across a wide range of fields such as manufacturing and healthcare.

The "Vision Pro," which is a bundle of cutting-edge technology, is still not considered common at a price close to 600,000 yen. Additionally, the goggles-type hardware has been criticized for its weight and the hassle of wearing it. However, advances in hardware are rapid, and products resembling glasses, like sunglasses, have emerged and are gaining popularity. The "Ray-Ban Meta Glasses" launched by Meta, led by Mark Zuckerberg in collaboration with Ray-Ban, are said to have exceeded 1 million units shipped by 2024.

###Challenges Alongside Hardware: How to Deliver 3D Content

The spread of new technology requires the miniaturization and reduction in cost of hardware. Spatial computing has only just begun, and it can be said that this process has just started. There is another important issue as well: how to deliver 3D content for spatial computing to users around the world.

If we think simply, it's easy to understand the method of lining up a large number of computers in a data center and sending data to the devices that users are using via the internet. Now, with the rise of generative AI, construction plans for data centers are progressing worldwide. AI data centers are indeed trying to spread generative AI across the globe in such a manner. However, on the other hand, there are voices pointing out the risk that a large amount of electricity will be required, and when data centers are constructed, there is a fear that the power supply of that city may be lost. Additionally, there are also voices claiming that GPU production cannot keep up with the demand for generative AI.

A large building gathers a massive amount of GPUs and operates with a vast amount of electricity. At first glance, it may seem efficient, but various risks have also been pointed out. Is there perhaps a different "21st-century" solution compared to this so-called "20th-century" method? Those familiar with the concepts of Web3 and blockchain would immediately think of DePIN.

DePIN stands for "Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network", which translates to "分散型物理インフラネットワーク" in Japanese. It is the concept of organically operating hardware that is distributed around the world using blockchain, and using tokens for that operation, thereby creating incentives for hardware operation. This aims to enable the efficient and sustainable provision of infrastructure on a global scale.

It can be said that the理念 of the blockchain that created Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) has been applied to the provision of services in the real world.

###What Mawari has already achieved

I have made a long preface, but the project that aims to realize mass adoption by utilizing DePIN for the provision of spatial computing is "Mawari."

Many prominent VCs are already paying attention, and they have raised $17.3 million (approximately 2.6 billion yen, based on an exchange rate of 150 yen to the dollar) so far. The project party's management team consists of Luis Oscar Ramirez Solorzano (Founder and CEO), Aleksandr Borisov (Co-Founder and CTO), and Frederick Speckeen (COO), based in the United States, but there is also a business development team in Japan led by Yoshitake Tanitabe (Co-Founder and Chief Futurist Officer). This is not a concept-stage project; it has major clients like Netflix, BMW, T-Mobile, and KDDI, and it is expected to achieve revenue of $5 million (approximately 750 million yen) in the fiscal year 2025.

This Mawari will start the public sale of the "Decentralized Infrastructure Offering (DIO)" in collaboration with Animoca Brands Japan.

What Mawari has already achieved as a 3D content distribution infrastructure is as follows.

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Digital human navigating in a 3D space. It can also incorporate AI, giving it AI agent-like functionality.

Digital humans can also be brought into real spaces.

3D modeling of Vtubers. At the fan interaction event, tickets for 5000 yen for 2 minutes sold out, with opinions such as "It's too cheap for a one-on-one meeting, it's unfair to the Vtuber."

The scenes of digital humans/3D avatars will expand not only to events and entertainment as mentioned above but also to everyday family moments in the future. For example, popular characters may come to homes to have conversations, teach studies, or check health conditions.

By simply wearing terminal glasses (which will eventually become as small as contact lenses), a world where real space and the world created by computers blend and expand unfolds before your eyes. The space created by computers was once called "virtual space" or "VR (virtual reality)"; however, the world created by spatial computing is no longer "virtual" but rather a "new reality."

To deliver this "new reality" to many people, it is predicted that the number of devices will reach 90 million by 2030, which is 2.5 times the number in 2024, and the computing power required will increase more than 1,000 times over the next five years. To accommodate this rapidly expanding computing power, Mawari initially considered utilizing data centers similar to those used for generative AI. Instead of dedicated data centers, they sought to partner with so-called cloud services to deploy their services, but the provided capacity was small, creating a hurdle to widespread adoption. In search of another solution, they arrived at DePIN.

###The Inevitability of Arriving at DePIN

DePIN is attracting attention as a latest trend within Web3/blockchain. Therefore, it cannot be denied that there are situations where "DePIN is a must" or "projects claiming to be DePIN" aim for fundraising. However, Mawari is a project aiming to realize spatial computing as a "3D content distribution infrastructure", and DePIN is merely a methodology. It stands apart from projects that jump on the buzzword.

In fact, members of Mawari have deep experience in the fields of computer graphics and AR/augmented reality. Furthermore, the team includes individuals from cutting-edge tech companies such as Niantic, known for the development of Meta, Google, and Pokémon GO, as well as many from major cryptocurrency firms such as Digital Currency Group (DCG) and Grayscale.

To explain the mechanism of Mawari's DePIN in an extremely simple way, the 3D content delivery infrastructure is called the "Mawari Network." Since maintaining the network and managing service quality requires enormous computing power, instead of relying on a centralized data center, PC users around the world install a dedicated application on their PCs to become nodes of the Mawari Network. In other words, they provide computing power to the network and become part of the DePIN.

###Towards Network Expansion──Decentralized Infrastructure Offering (DIO) is planned

Mawari is now aiming to expand the Mawari Network, which is a DePIN, ahead of the full-scale adoption of spatial computing. Specifically, it plans to recruit node operators. In return for providing computing power, node operators will receive Mawari's unique tokens.

In the realm of cryptocurrency, token investment is common, but operating nodes for a project/network is not just an investment; it involves participating in the operation of the project/network and earning revenue. Rather than being an investment, it can be described as a new era of business. It is not only about holding tokens and waiting for capital gains or staking to earn yields, but also an opportunity to participate in projects that are expected to grow significantly and rapidly.

DIO is scheduled to start recruitment in early June. In addition to joining global leading VCs, Animoca Brands Japan is supporting the growth of Mawari in Japan, and has begun providing information about Mawari and accepting pre-registrations ahead of DIO. Applications can be made from the following.

Animoca Brands Japan: "Mawari" DIO - Pre-registration Form

Animoca Brands Japan will leverage Animoca Brands' global network of 450 investment companies to support the deployment of excellent project parties in Japan. It seems a good idea to follow them on social media.

At the start of DIO, we plan to share the details again, as well as the background of how the co-founder of Mawari launched Mawari, and their thoughts on DePIN.