Sony Doubles Down on Startale with $13M Investment

Sony Innovation Fund has committed an additional $13 million to Startale Group, marking a significant expansion of the partnership between the Japanese tech giant and the blockchain infrastructure company. The follow-on investment arrived on January 29, 2026, building on a relationship that began during Startale’s seed round in September 2023.

Startale Group is proud to announce a $13M follow-on investment from Sony Innovation Fund, reinforcing the long-term shared vision between @Sony and Startale to build infrastructure for onchain entertainment. pic.twitter.com/BNsHhUqxm7

— Startale 💿 (@StartaleGroup) January 29, 2026

The funding comes as Soneium, the Ethereum Layer 2 network co-developed through Sony Block Solutions Labs, reaches notable milestones. Since its mainnet launch in January 2025, the platform has processed over 500 million transactions. Active wallets now exceed 5.4 million, with more than 250 decentralized applications operating on the network.

Our vision is to bring the world on-chain, and Sony’s continued support strengthens our ability to deliver the infrastructure required to realize that vision at global scale.

Watanabe said.

Sony Investment Journey: From Seed Round to Strategic Alliance

The investment trajectory between Sony and Startale spans more than two years. Sony first invested $3.5 million into the blockchain firm in June 2023. Three months later, Sony Network Communications and Startale Labs established Sony Network Communications Labs Pte. Ltd. in Singapore.

That joint venture launched with 1 million SGD in capital, approximately $733,000 USD at the time. Sony secured a dominant 90% ownership stake, leaving Startale with the remaining 10%. The partnership aimed to combine Sony’s expertise in IoT, AI, and solution services with Startale’s blockchain capabilities.

Following this foundation, the collaboration evolved into Sony Block Solutions Labs. This entity became responsible for developing Soneium, positioning the Layer 2 network at the intersection of entertainment, intellectual property, and emerging technologies.

1/ Sony Group and Startale’s Joint Venture Sony Block Solutions Labs announces the development of Soneium.

Startale and Sony Group are developing @soneium, a blockchain that merges Startale's Web3 expertise with Sony's experience in entertainment, gaming, finance, and… pic.twitter.com/Q0tnFof1Av

— Startale 💿 (@StartaleGroup) August 23, 2024

The joint venture’s original website expressed ambitious goals. Sony and Startale stated their intention to build a Web3 network that “connects souls across generations” and contributes to digital society infrastructure.

Building the Entertainment Blockchain Ecosystem

Soneium has emerged as what Startale describes as an entertainment-native blockchain platform. The network now ranks among notable Layer 2 solutions in the broader Ethereum ecosystem. Its growth occurred rapidly, with transaction volumes and user adoption accelerating since the January 2025 mainnet deployment.

The Startale App serves as the primary gateway to the Soneium ecosystem. The application integrates wallet functionality, asset management tools, and streamlined access to decentralized applications. Users can navigate the platform’s growing array of services through this unified interface.

Additionally, Startale USD, designated as USDSC, provides a settlement layer across the network. The stablecoin connects applications, users, and payment systems operating on Soneium. This infrastructure piece addresses liquidity and transaction settlement requirements within the ecosystem.

Sony’s broader blockchain strategy has developed gradually since the initial joint venture announcement. The consumer electronics and entertainment conglomerate has explored how distributed ledger technology might integrate with its existing business lines. PlayStation and other Sony products could potentially benefit from blockchain-based features in future implementations.

The $13 million investment adds to Startale’s resources as the company pursues expansion of its infrastructure offerings. With Sony’s backing, Startale continues developing tools aimed at mainstream blockchain adoption. The partnership reflects ongoing corporate interest in Web3 technologies despite market fluctuations.

Startale’s vertically integrated approach encompasses both infrastructure development and application-layer products. This strategy differentiates the company from blockchain firms focused solely on protocol development or consumer applications.