S’pore musician and entrepreneur JJ Lin embarks on NFT venture as third co-founder of ARC

Launched in January this year, ARC was founded by sons of Singapore business tycoons Kiat Lim and Elroy Cheo, to leverage the rise of Web3.

It announced today (July 7) that it welcomes musician and entrepreneur JJ Lin as its newest co-founder.

This latest announcement comes on the heels of ARC’s strategic partnerships with global hospitality giant Millennium Hotels and Resorts, and lifestyle destination group, Zouk Group, that supports ARC’s co-creation ambitions.

ARC is Asia’s first app-based tokenised community, connecting Web2 leaders, influencers and creatives with Web3 builders and thought leaders in a community that plays, grows and collaborates together.

Backed by an NFT membership, ARC provides members the opportunity to network across social and professional communities, co-create their membership utility with ARC’s global partners, and collaborate with members to launch new ventures.

What exactly is JJ’s role in growing ARC?

JJ first started in the music industry two decades ago.

He is known for putting Singapore on the Mandopop map, and has built a flourishing career that spans multiple award-winning albums and collaborations with other music industry giants like Jason Mraz, Steve Aoki, Hans Zimmer and Ayumi Hamasaki.

Beyond the music scene, JJ has also dabbled in the business world, with multiple ventures ranging from fashion and coffee, to e-sports and art.

Now, he is turning his attention to projects that bridge both the Web2 and Web3 universe. He is one of the first Asian celebrities to be involved in a Web3 project like ARC at a personal level, and is no stranger in this space.

He has previously made headlines for purchasing S$123,000 worth of virtual plots of land in metaverse, and buying a rare Cryptopunk NFT for 125 Ethereum (worth about S$761,000).

I’m excited to be a part of the ARC movement. It is the only community today that brings hugely diverse groups together with a very strong purpose of growing and co-creating. That’s what really inspired me to take a very active role in this project as co-founder.

The music industry and business world have taught me a lot about creating new ventures, but also given me tremendous opportunity for personal growth. I hope to bring those elements to help nurture budding talents, fuel new ideas and put Asian ventures in different fields on the global map.

Moving forward, JJ will be working together with the other co-founders on shaping the community experience for ARC members. He is looking forward to working alongside the community to learn from them, exchange ideas, and expand his interests into other areas.

Kiat adds that beyond his experience and connections, JJ brings with him a “growth mindset” to the community.

[These are] all the right elements for ARC and its projects to thrive in both the Web2 and Web3 space. The collaborations and co-creations we want to spark are built to last, backed by a power-packed community and deep bench strength of partners. This is the underlying DNA [of] ARC.

Building Asia’s dominant NFT brand

According to ARC, while Asia is one of the fastest-growing in the world in terms of cryptocurrency adoption, Asia has yet to launch a prominent NFT project.

As such, ARC has a grand ambition to co-create Asia’s dominant NFT brand.

“We know that it is a tall order but as ARC, a collective, we feel that we have a good chance of achieving this goal together,” expressed Kiat confidently.

The fact that ARC has roots in Singapore is an added advantage. The city state has earned its place as a cultural hub in the region, and is fast becoming one of the crypto capitals of the world because of its robust regulatory framework.

These two elements — combined with Kiat’s, Elroy’s and JJ’s extensive networks across business, investment, entertainment and the arts — give ARC an unrivalled runway for its ambitious plans.

ARC is bringing the best of Web2 and Web3 worlds together. We want all of the great things that work in the Web2 world — the real-world connections, networking and events — but powered by the Web3 way of collaborating that breaks down traditional barriers and creates more inclusivity.

Real-world co-created networking experiences, bespoke access, audio rooms with top entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, and access to Web3 expertise, are just the beginnings of the full complement of ARC’s offering.

Additionally, worldwide market access, Web3 capability, Asia’s creative talent pool, global investment power and partnerships with international brands are all lined up in ARC’s ecosystem to enable members to co-create meaningful and impactful projects. 

Featured Image Credit: ARC