"No matter what support you get, it's not guaranteed that the service will actually improve."
Amid such sentiments, the merchandise trading app "Treportal" has steadily built its network and improved its user experience by fully utilizing the ICT Startup League's overseas expansion and hands-on support.

Why is this service, born from the front lines of "Oshi-katsu (supporting a favorite) " (fan activities), now captivating fans?
Behind it all was Ms. Kamiya's own relatable struggles and the real-life drama of turning support into growth.

A Challenge That Began with "I didn't get my Bias..."

First, could you tell us about your business, Treportal?

Kamiya: There are so many "blind box" random merchandise items sold these days, where you don't know what's inside until you open it. I'm a huge K-pop fan myself, and when I bought those goods and didn't get my "Bias" (favorite member), I would often trade with someone who did.
However, most of these trades happened on X (formerly Twitter), and since it's not a service specialized for trading, I often found it difficult to search, cumbersome to transact, and felt uneasy about safety. In reality, many others faced similar issues.
That's when I thought that if there were a platform dedicated to trading, more people could transact with peace of mind. That was the beginning of our development.

I was originally studying robotics in graduate school, but I found myself spending a significant amount of time on trading, and it became difficult to balance it with my research.
So, I decided to take the leap and create the system myself, which led me to service development.

A Team Born from the Front Lines of "Oshi-katsu (supporting a favorite) "

What kind of members are on your team?

Kamiya: At first, it was just me. I already knew how to program, so it was an extension of my hobby. But with the help of my university's startup support program and the industry-academia collaboration organization, I formed a team with friends, junior members from my club, and people I met in class. Everyone's fandoms were different, but many had experience with 'Oshi-katsu (supporting a favorite) '.

A Cycle of Trial and Error

Did you launch the service right after receiving support?

Kamiya: No, actually, we've rebuilt it from scratch about three times so far. Every time we created a version and got user feedback, we found new issues, and sometimes we had to rethink the entire structure and system.
We faced many challenges from the perspectives of future scalability and customer acquisition, and there were many instances where our initial assumptions didn't hold up.
After much trial and error, we finally arrived at the current form, and it took about a year to release the app.

Building "Safety" by Design — The Story Behind "Simultaneous Shipping & Proof Submission"

How is it different from other services like X?

Kamiya: Since X isn't exclusively for trading, there's always some anxiety involved. At Treportal, we created a system where you can trade for "just the cost of shipping." We paid special attention to "simultaneous shipping" and "proof submission." By having "both parties ship the goods simultaneously on an agreed-upon date and provide proof with a post office receipt or a video of them mailing it," we reduce the risk of "only one party sending the item," allowing even first-time users to trade with peace of mind. We've also clarified the transaction flow and rules, and made it possible to see ratings and transaction history.

The ICT Startup League Brought the "World" Instantly Closer

Do you have any memorable experiences with the support from the ICT Startup League?

Kamiya: With the overseas expansion support from the ICT Startup League, we exhibited a booth at "Japan Expo Thailand." This experience truly "expanded our world."
We knew that trading was popular in Japan and Korea, but we weren't sure how popular it was outside of those countries. I was very surprised to find that in Thailand, where the language barrier is quite high, the word "trade" comes up so easily that it's a commonplace activity. It was a great opportunity to think about the real needs, cultural characteristics, and the potential for business development in Thailand.

The Diversity and Cultural Gaps of "Oshi-katsu (supporting a favorite) " Seen in Thailand

What were some of your discoveries or memorable episodes there?

Kamiya: At the "Japan Expo Thailand" venue, I was able to interact directly with local people who love anime and Japanese content. The "Oshi-katsu (supporting a favorite) " culture is completely different in each country. For example, "In Thailand, we trade in Facebook groups," or "We trade in person at the train station ticket gates."
Also, having more fans not only expands long-term opportunities for fundraising, talent acquisition, and business, but also enhances the company's brand and credibility. We had been talking as a team for a while about wanting to expand overseas, and we were all proceeding with the premise of building a company that would be global from the start, so the biggest challenge was how to do it. The opportunity to grasp the local culture was a huge step toward figuring that out.

Turning "Support into Growth": An Evolving Service

You mentioned that participating in the ICT Startup League helped improve your service. What kind of support led to those improvements?

Kamiya: The league has support organizations, and through them, we were able to talk to people we wouldn't have been able to reach on our own. Since we're thinking of expanding beyond K-pop to handle goods from anime and manga, getting their opinions was extremely helpful.
I strongly feel that while I can move forward step by step on my own, having support in the form of hands-on assistance allows me to advance 10 or even 100 steps at a time. When you're only focused on what's right in front of you, you often miss that one step. But by receiving support and reaching out, I feel that I can greatly widen the breadth of each step.

Creating the Future of "Oshi-katsu (supporting a favorite) "

Finally, please tell us about Treportal's mission and the world you aim to create.

Kamiya: Our mission is to "provide an environment where people can enjoy their Oshi-katsu (supporting a favorite) safely and happily." In the future, we aim to become the go-to service, where people think "Treportal" as soon as they get an "oshi." We want to create a world where anyone can enjoy their favorite content, transcending borders and language barriers. We aim for a society where new relationships and experiences are born through Oshi-katsu (supporting a favorite) , and more people can cherish what they "love."