Sony-backed Startale sets up Abu Dhabi operations after major Series A funding round

“We are pleased to welcome Startale Group into Hub71’s Cohort 18,” said Divya Claudia Nair, Startup Journey Lead at Hub71. “Their focus on digital asset infrastructure reflects the strength of our spe

Startale Group, a blockchain infrastructure firm backed by Sony Innovation Fund and SBI Group, has announced plans to establish operations in Abu Dhabi after completing a $63 million Series A funding round and being selected for Hub71’s Digital Assets cohort. The company will base its regional activities in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), joining Hub71’s Cohort 18 under the Hub71+ Digital Assets programme, an initiative supported by Mubadala and the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development.

Direct quote

“We are pleased to welcome Startale Group into Hub71’s Cohort 18,” said Divya Claudia Nair, Startup Journey Lead at Hub71. “Their focus on digital asset infrastructure reflects the strength of our specialist ecosystems and the calibre of founders choosing Abu Dhabi as a launchpad for global growth. We look forward to supporting their expansion.”

Context and details

Startale’s move to Abu Dhabi follows a $63 million Series A round intended to support development of blockchain and stablecoin infrastructure in regulated markets. The company was selected from more than 2,400 applicants to join Hub71’s ecosystem of investors, institutions and regulators, a competitive process that underscores Abu Dhabi’s growing appeal as a regulated digital asset hub.

CEO Sota Watanabe framed the expansion as strategic for scaling in compliant markets: “Hub71 and Abu Dhabi Global Market provide the regulatory clarity and global reach we need to scale responsibly,” he said. “Abu Dhabi is emerging as a major digital asset hub, enabling expansion across the East and West markets.”

Startale is developing a portfolio of infrastructure products in collaboration with established partners. These include:

  • Soneium, developed in partnership with Sony Block Solutions Labs under Sony Group Corporation;
  • Strium, and work on the yen-backed stablecoin JPYSC with SBI Group;
  • USDSC; and
  • The Startale App.

The company’s investors and strategic supporters extend beyond Sony and SBI: the initiative to host Startale in Abu Dhabi is backed by Mubadala and the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, and local placement in ADGM positions the firm inside a jurisdiction noted for its digital asset regulatory framework.

Outlook

Startale plans to deploy local teams in Abu Dhabi and to work closely with regulators, investors and partners as it expands across regional and international markets. Selection into Hub71’s Cohort 18 gives the firm access to an ecosystem of institutional contacts designed to accelerate market entry and regulatory engagement.

By combining its recent capital injection with partnerships tied to Sony and SBI Group, Startale aims to scale its stablecoin and blockchain infrastructure offerings while leveraging ADGM’s regulatory clarity to pursue cross-border growth between East and West markets.