Chris Chris 26.10.2021

Takatoshi Watabe: "We believe in working with our users not as customers but partner" - an Interview with the CEO of dCombat

In his concise replies, Takatoshi Watabe has been extremely high-minded and accurate while describing the story of dCombatZone - a project for MMA/crypto fans. See the full interview below to get a handle on the narrative first-hand! 

Chris: Tell us about the creation of dCombatZone. What prompted the creation?

Takatoshi: As major MMA & crypto fans, we were looking for a fusion of the two
sectors, but didn't find any. So, we sat down and drafted our own
platform that takes our favorite sport to the blockchain. It's both a
personal and professional dream of ours to make this happen.

Chris: Who is your target audience? What value do you offer to the people?

Takatoshi: Our target audience is of course MMA fans with an interest in crypto.
dCombat also appeals to gamers and investors looking for innovation in
the online sports sector.

Chris: Did the DeFi movement change the industry in your opinion?

Takatoshi: Yes. I think DeFi has an impact on online sports and especially niche
sports like MMA. It's a great opportunity to bring new life into a sport
that is now reaching a stage of maturity.

Chris: What is your opinion on the current state of the STO market? What are
the most promising asset categories to be tokenized?

Takatoshi: STO's are bound to make a comeback but in a more mature way. As the
tokenization of traditional securities becomes more commonplace, so too
full-blockchain STO's will become more mainstream - with good reason
because they're better suited to the age we live in.

The most interesting assets to be tokenized include commodities such as
crude oil and copper, bluechip stocks as well as microcap stocks, and of
course MMA-crypto fusionists like dCombat :-)

Chris: How did COVID19 impact the game? 

Takatoshi: Covid-19 had an effect on physical sports productions. We had to change
our live-stream production plans a bit, but if anything the crisis
helped us to get a sharper vision of what our objectives are and it
hasn't stopped us at all. Difficult times also bring great
opportunities.

Chris: Let’s imagine I do have a team of developers and we just released an
innovative DeFi or STO project. How much investment do you think we need
to pour into marketing and PR to become a well-known and “hot” project
today in 2022?

Takatoshi: I would allocate at least 1 million USD for marketing, because it
comprises more than just ads. But more importantly, I think meeting the
target audience on an eye level is equally crucial. We believe in
working with our users not as customers but partners in a way -
blockchain has leveled the playing field and everyone is now more
approachable than before.

Chris: Can you tell us about an accomplishment you are most proud of?

Takatoshi: dCombat is at the top of the list, both personally and professionally.
It took 3 years of planning, coding, re-drafting, testing and now it's
ready to launch. But achievement is its own reward, pride only obscures
it.

Chris: I wonder if you have UK-based projects in your portfolio? Do you plan
to get any?

Takatoshi: Our project is part of a UK incorporation, so technically we are a UK
project but with an international team.

Chris: What kind of partnerships are you looking for (integrations, media
partnerships, contractors, etc.)? Do you have any specific plans for the
UK market?

Takatoshi: We are always looking for production companies in the MMA field as well
as sports clubs with new talent. In terms of development, we are looking
for coders specializing in Rust.