Building the Community Every Startup Needs to Go Global

In services and products, building communities that include players from related fields has become an essential strategy for companies—especially startups—not only for cultivating fans but also for building strong brands.

Why are communities needed, and how can they be expanded? In this article, we explore the diverse value created through communities and how to build them, using the globally active project “NEWVIEW” as a case study.

This article introduces projects that were previously hosted on AWRD.

As the global market for XR (Cross Reality) -including AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) -continues to expand, major corporations have increasingly entered the metaverse space. Amid this trend, one company that has been aiming to grow the XR market globally since 2017 is Psychic VR Lab, the operator of the innovative XR platform STYLY.

With the goal of expanding STYLY’s user base worldwide, Psychic VR Lab partnered with PARCO Co., Ltd. and Loftwork Inc. to launch NEWVIEW, a project dedicated to discovering, nurturing, and showcasing next-generation artists. At the core of this initiative was the creation of global communities that connect users who share a common purpose.

Community Strategies Implemented in the Project

• Hosting a global award program
• Organizing meetups through FabCafe to reach artists from diverse genres around the world
• Showcasing award-winning works globally and holding immersive, experiential exhibitions in Japan
• Launching NEWVIEW SCHOOL, an art school dedicated to learning XR as a comprehensive and integrated art form

Organizer: Psychic VR Lab, PARCO Co., Ltd., Loftwork Inc.
URL: https://newview.design/en/awards/2024

Launched in January 2018, “NEWVIEW” began as an experimental project exploring new creative expressions and experiential design in three-dimensional space. At the time, XR was still in its early stages, and most content was dominated by games and amusements created by programmers and engineers.

Focusing on the yet-untapped fields of fashion, culture, and art, the project set out to become a platform where artists and creators could gather. This vision led to the launch of the XR content award “NEWVIEW AWARDS,” dedicated to fashion, culture, and art. Open to entries from around the world, the award called for works that redefine three-dimensional expression and experience.

The judges of 2021

(Top row, from left) Naohiro Ukawa / Contemporary (“Gen-zai”) Artist, Founder of DOMMUNE; Zowie Broach / Head of the Fashion Programme, Royal College of Art; Lu Yang / Artist; imma / Virtual Human. 
(Bottom row, from left) Baboo LIAO / Theatre Director; Tina Sauerlaender / Curator & Writer; David OReilly / Multidisciplinary Artist; Jakob Kudsk Steensen / Artist & Director; Mitsuo Iso / Animator, Director, Screenwriter.

Since its launch in 2018, NEWVIEW AWARDS has welcomed frontrunners from around the world across fields such as video, music, fashion, and art, including Naohiro Ukawa (DOMMUNE). Through initiatives such as meetup events and media exposure, the program has actively supported award winners in taking their work to the wider world, while also reaching audiences who had not previously engaged with XR.

Sharing award-winning works with the world and hosting immersive, experiential exhibitions in Japan

2021 Grand Prize / Title: “Neo Tengri” Creator: Ardak Mukanova
https://awrd.com/en/award/newviewawards2021/result

As a result of outreach to artists and creators from diverse genres, a total of 622 works from 15 countries worldwide were submitted over the past three years.
In addition to prize money, awardees gained opportunities to further expand their activities, including exhibitions at GALLERY X BY PARCO in Shibuya, Tokyo, and the chance to have their work featured as a program on DOMMUNE.

Community activities open to all creators, fostering experimental works with artists from diverse genres.

In NEWVIEW’s overseas expansion, building user communities abroad plays a key role. Loftwork leveraged the communities of its overseas digital fabrication cafés, FabCafe, to gather creators for hands-on workshops where they could work with STYLY and conduct interviews about creating in 3D spaces. This approach helped establish local STYLY communities, gather user insights, and encourage participation in the awards.

Additionally, in 2020, the XR community platform NEWVIEW CYPHER was launched, allowing creators from all genres to freely express their creative ideas. On this platform, creators gathered to go through a complete cycle—from brainstorming ideas to producing and presenting their works—within a short one-month period, defined as a single “season.”

An art school was established to study XR as a comprehensive art form, providing a platform for discovering, nurturing, connecting, and promoting the next generation of creators.

“NEWVIEW” launched a new initiative, NEWVIEW SCHOOL, in 2019.
Held in Tokyo and Kyoto, NEWVIEW SCHOOL is a new kind of school for learning XR as a comprehensive art form. Students study foundational XR technologies and various creative approaches, as well as receive training in platforms such as STYLY and Unity*.

The instructors are pioneers who have integrated digital technologies across art, music, architecture, and fashion. In addition to lectures, they provide hands-on feedback on student projects to enhance overall work quality. Guest instructors from diverse fields are also invited, offering guidance that extends beyond XR, contributing to the development of versatile artists.

Students of the NEWVIEW SCHOOL program can progress to enter the NEWVIEW AWARDS. Many students have achieved notable results, including finalist selections, and continue to be active members of the NEWVIEW community after the awards. In 2020, NEWVIEW SCHOOL expanded to Taipei, further growing the community.

*Unity is a game engine developed by Unity Technologies, used for creating mobile, PC, and browser games.

Visit the NEWVIEW series page: https://awrd.com/en/series/newview

AWRD is an open platform that connects individuals’ creativity and ideas with projects around the world. Through AWRD, companies and society can pose challenging questions to creators, whose creativity generates ideas and solutions that advance society. It provides creators with opportunities to thrive while enabling companies and communities to create new value—fostering a truly open collaboration.

Recommended for:

• Those who want to PR new products or projects to the world from a unique perspective
• Those aiming for global reach by connecting with communities worldwide
• Those looking to expand awareness of new products or services

Features of AWRD:

• Connects people and enables the creation of new value
• Supports planning and design of themes and entire projects tailored to specific challenges
• Innovation hub connecting designers, scientists, and more
• Global network of over 30,000 creators
• 20+ years of experience managing creator platforms
• Project experience with companies such as Discovery Japan Inc., Olympus Corporation, All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd., Panasonic Corporation, and more
• Entire process from call for entries to judging and announcement completed on the online platform
• Supports both Japanese and English, allowing submissions from around the world

Whether you’re interested in trying out AWRD, requesting a collaboration, or have questions about past projects, feel free to get in touch with us to learn more about the platform.

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