Company: Soga World
Website: http://www.soga.world/
Business: Soga World is a creative agency that onboards talent and brands into the Web3 space.
Des and Soga World
Des Agyekumhene is the co-founder of Soga World, a creative agency that onboards talent and brands into the Web3 space. With an ambition to help impact the way the world experiences music through blockchain technology, Des finds himself in a unique position of being an academic and blockchain enthusiast working in the music business.
Des is a music executive currently undertaking doctoral legal research at the University of Edinburgh, School of Law. He prides himself on knowing the latest technological developments in Web3 but his music industry background means he vitally understands the culture.
As an award-winning PhD candidate researching artist remuneration rights in the digital era, Des co-founded Soga World after recognising the music industry flaws in always hanging on the coat-tail of tech companies. There were no other companies providing agency and strategy to cooperation’s to ensure their smooth adoption of Web3 technology.
Des understood that there was, and still is, an extremely steep learning curve when it came to Web3, but felt that his special power was to reduce that curve and bridge the gap between music and tech.
But more importantly, Des wanted to make music industry stakeholders feel comfortable through showing them low risk opportunities within the Web3 space and show them that they could create truly impactful cultural moments using ideas that shift and content that connects with fans and the masses. As a creative agency, his team have stuck their necks out to create successful use cases of Web3 tech.
Notably, they achieved the first NFT project to impact the Official Album Charts in the world, working with Aitch on his debut album “Close to Home”, reaching number 2 in the charts. They accomplished the first NFT project at OVO Wembley Arena, working with Ne-Yo on his sold out UK tour, selling meet and greets experiences as NFTs.
They also carried out the first NFT ticketed music event in the UK, partnering with Major League DJz on their first sell-out London headline show. And they also brokered the first DAO to buy into a Football Club with Greek Super League 2 team, F.C. Episkopi. Finally, they brokered the World’s First Boxing Fight in the Metaverse with Floyd Mayweather vs Deji.
Committing himself to leverage his experiences to research and help creatives engage with fans in today’s digital landscape, Des has also participated in the wider policy affairs surrounding remuneration rights, intellectual property, and copyright law within the industry. His doctoral thesis assesses if the legal regime policing the rights of creators is fit for purpose in this evolving digital landscape.
Des’s aim has been to tip the scales and gives some of the power back to the creatives and balance the power dynamic between the creatives and tech companies. That is and will be his core mission for the future.
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