Narrative

Narrative is a holding company focused on investing in, building, and acquiring businesses in AI and Web3

[Mantle @Mantle_Official]

Over a week ago, 100+ builders gave up their Saturday for our Seoul Hacker House to accelerate the agentic economy.

Here's how it went ↓

[Ingi Kim @codekim1214]

I’m currently at @ns in Malaysia.

I was curious what would happen if founders, builders, creators, and other people who make things were brought together in one place to live for a while.

My conclusion is simple: I now want to build something like this in Korea.

Network School is a community created by @balajis. He was the CTO of Coinbase, a partner at a16z, and the author of The Network State.

I came here through the @baseapac Network State Residency.

People who had only been connected online now live, learn, work out, and work together in the same place. Over time, those shared days turn into real relationships.

After spending time here, it feels less like a school and more like a small society.

This kind of experiment is often called a Startup Society. It is a community where people with their own goals live together for a period of time and try a new way of being together. It is not a company, a conference, or a short-term camp. Trust forms through the simple act of living and working together. People host events, join each other’s sessions, and build relationships through repeated interaction.

Balaji has written that he does not want Network School to end as just one school. He wants the people who go through it to build other Startup Societies. For the first cohort, more than 4,000 people from over 80 countries applied, and 128 were accepted.

I also have a small personal connection with Balaji. We have co-invested in a few startups, and recently I distributed part of the proceeds from one of those investments to him.

Being here also reminded me of an earlier experience in my life.

Before founding Code States in 2015, I attended a coding bootcamp in San Francisco. Living, learning, and spending time with people there had a huge influence on me.

Without that experience, I may not have built Code States in the same way.

Back then, the community was for people who wanted to become software developers. Now I think we need a broader version of that. A place not only for developers, but for founders, builders, creators, investors, researchers, and others who are actively making things to live and learn together.

I also met a Japanese friend at @wecandaoit_jp here who has been thinking along similar lines. We had only known each other online before. Inspired by Network School, he is now preparing to build a Startup Society in a declining small city in Japan.

He is planning to run his first popup this August.

Hearing that made me more convinced. If this can be tried in Japan, it can be tried in Korea too.

Korea needs a place like this.

Not just another event where founders, developers, designers, investors, creators, and researchers meet for a few hours and then leave. I mean a community where people live together for a while.

I especially want to try this outside Seoul, in a smaller Korean city. I want to see what kind of founder community can grow in a place with a completely different rhythm of life.

A good community does not stop at gathering people.

It should help people ask better questions, live healthier lives, and build relationships that last longer.

We were originally people who made things. We have only gradually lost that instinct inside the rules of school, companies, and society.

People build better when they are surrounded by good people.

So I’m left with a few questions.

Who are the people who would live together in Korea, learn together, work out together, work together, and build something together?

And where should the first city be?

If this question resonates with you, please reach out. I’d love to build a Startup Society in Korea that we would actually want to live in.

[Narrative @NarrativeCap]

💃🪩🕺

[Rocketpunch - 로켓펀치 @rocketpunch_kr]

💃🪩🕺

[Ingi Kim @codekim1214]

제품은 AI로 만들 수 있습니다. 하지만 시장의 기회는 사람을 통해 열립니다.

요즘 AI/Web3 빌더를 만나면 비슷한 고민을 듣습니다. “이제 만드는 건 빨라졌는데, 누가 진짜 쓸지 모르겠다.”

이게 앞으로 더 큰 문제가 될 거라고 봅니다.

AI가 코딩의 문턱을 낮추면 제품은 더 많이 나옵니다. 하지만 첫 사용자를 찾는 일, 좋은 팀원을 만��는 일, 투자자·파트너·커뮤니티와 연결되는 일은 여전히 어렵습니다.

그래서 빌더는 제품을 만들기 전에 이 질문을 먼저 해야 합니다.

1/ 이 문제를 누가 매주 겪고 있는가
2/ 첫 고객 10명은 누구인가
3/ 그 사람들은 어디에 모여 있는가
4/ 지금 쓰고 있는 대안은 무엇인가
5/ 어��� 말로 설명해야 바로 이해하는가
6/ 누가 이 제품을 다른 사람에게 공유할 이유가 있는가
7/ 이 제품이 커지려면 어떤 연결이 필요한가

저는 로켓펀치(@rocketpunch_kr)가 앞으로 이 질문에 더 잘 답하는 플랫폼이 되어야 한다고 생각합니다. 단순히 사람과 회사를 나열하는 공간이 아니라, 빌더가 첫 사용자·팀원·파트너·투자자와 만나는 비즈니스 네트워크.

5월 30일 성수 Narrative Lounge에서 열리는 맨틀(@Mantle_Official) 서울 AI 해커하우스에서 이 이야기를 해보려고 합니다.

오후 3시 세션 주제는 “빌더를 위한 진짜 지원이란 무엇인가?”

좋은 지원은 자본만이 아니라고 생각합니다.

좋은 질문. 빠른 피드백. 첫 사용자와의 연결. 배포 기회. 같이 만들어갈 사람들.

사실 이번 행사가 개인적으로 더 반가운 이유가 있습니다.

Mantle 한국 담당자 @Gem3a 님은, 이번에 ��께 패널로 참여하는 @zk_bella 님이 주최한 북클럽에서 처음 만났습니다. 그때는 그냥 같이 책을 읽고 이야기하던 자리였는데, 시간이 지나 이렇게 다시 만나 협업하고, 같은 행사에서 주최자와 패널로 함께하게 됐습니다.

돌이켜보면 저에게 중요한 기회들은 대부분 이렇게 왔습니다.

처음에는 가벼운 대화였고, 작은 소개였고, 별생각 없이 갔던 자리였습니다.

로켓펀치도 결국 이런 서비스를 만들고 싶습니다.

사람들이 더 좋은 인연을 만나고, 우연한 기회가 더 자주 생기고, 그 연결이 일과 커리어와 사업의 다음 단계로 이어지는 곳.

AI/Crypto 분야에 관심 있다면 오세요.

그날 하루가 내 아이디어와 팀을 다시 점검하는 시간이 되면 좋겠습니다.

📍 5월 30일 | 성수 Narrative Lounge
🎟️ RSVP: https://t.co/nZWkYoRsZT

[Ingi Kim @codekim1214]

Pre-registration for KAIZONE at the 2026 @kaistpr Festival is now open on @rocketpunch_kr.

KAIZONE is a dedicated festival viewing area for current KAIST students.

For this partnership, Rocketpunch is doing more than hosting an event page.

We help verify that each applicant is a current KAIST student through Rocketpunch’s student verification feature. We also check eligibility based on the education information registered on each user’s Rocketpunch profile.

In other words, this is not an event that anyone can apply for.
It is designed specifically for verified KAIST students.

It also makes on-site check-in much easier.

Students who pre-register can avoid long lines at the venue and confirm their entry quickly through QR-based check-in.

Rocketpunch is a business networking platform.

But we are not building just another profile service.

We are building infrastructure that connects verified identity, background information, event participation, and networking. A profile should not only show who someone is. It should also help people access the right opportunities, meet the right people, and move through offline events with less friction.

The KAIZONE pre-registration for this year’s KAIST Taeul Seokrim Festival is a good example of where we are headed.

A festival is about the stage, the music, and the people you experience it with. But a better festival experience starts before the show, by reducing waiting time, confusion, and unnecessary friction.

Rocketpunch is glad to support this year’s Taeul Seokrim Festival and help KAIST students enter KAIZONE faster, more accurately, and more comfortably.

If you are a current KAIST student, please apply through the Rocketpunch event page during the registration period.

If you are not a KAIST student but would like to help run the Rocketpunch booth and take part in the festival with us, please feel free to email [email protected].

@realfromis_9 @triplescosmos @BabyDONTCry_BDC @now_im_young Haon

@reclaimprotocol

[Ingi Kim @codekim1214]

Why small hackathons often lead to big opportunities: what I’ve learned from the @solana ecosystem

Solana’s global hackathon, @colosseum FRONTIER, is now open. @rocketpunch_kr will also be running a side track for Korean builders together with @SuperteamKorea. If you submit a project to the global main track, you can also apply to the Seoulana x Rocketpunch side track.

On the surface, this might look like just another hackathon. But in my experience, the real value has much less to do with prize money and much more to do with the people you meet, the ecosystem you get pulled into, and how quickly those connections can turn into real opportunities. Solana is one of the few ecosystems where that happens especially fast.

I’ve learned that by being part of it. My involvement in the Solana ecosystem led to opportunities to work with the @SolanaFndn and to help connect Solana ecosystem projects with major Korean exchanges. Staying active through tools like @phantom Wallet also opened up investment and business opportunities. Some of the people I first met through a fellowship program we built later became real collaborators. One of the teams we introduced at the last hackathon went on to win a side track award, and another Korean team received investment from @balajis at Network School.

Most big opportunities do not begin in big, dramatic moments. More often, they start in smaller places: a niche community, a small hackathon, an early introduction, or a simple decision to show up. Those smaller moments are often what open the next door.

The total prize pool for the global main track is $250,000, and the Seoulana x Rocketpunch side track offers an additional $10,000.

Superteam Korea is also putting real support around the process, including a build station, mentor feedback, a pitching clinic, a demo video clinic, and a builder community. So this is not the kind of hackathon where you build alone, submit, and just hope for the best. There is a real system in place to help builders improve the quality of their submissions and get useful feedback along the way.

If you’ve been wanting to build on Solana but have not found the right starting point yet, or if you already have a prototype and need a strong next step, this could be a very good opportunity. If that sounds like you, I’d strongly encourage you to give it a try.

https://t.co/0acsXn5RhT

https://t.co/13pYKCrphB

[Ingi Kim @codekim1214]

Long profile URLs are over.

Now, one link — https://t.co/6XSR74uGRj — does both:
share my profile and receive gifted assets.

It’s short, clean, and intuitive.
Perfect for your social bio, business card, or intro deck.

But this isn’t just a profile link.
With Rocketpunch Wallet, you can receive gifts in ETH, stablecoins, stocks like SPY, Tesla, and NVIDIA, and even commodities like gold.

One profile link becomes both your identity and your value-transfer address.
That’s what makes Rocketpunch (@rocketpunch_kr) interesting.

Try it yourself:
Leave your Rocketpunch profile link in the comments, and I’ll send QQQ ETF tokens straight to your wallet.

[Ingi Kim @codekim1214]

The real bottleneck of AI isn’t models—it’s IP‑cleared, real‑world data. And @StoryProtocol is building the foundational layer to unlock this $70 trillion IP economy.

Story is no longer just a creative‑IP chain—it’s expanding into the frontier: physical AI (robotics, healthcare, autonomous systems) that require trustworthy, permissioned, programmable data.

Zion is a powerful example of this evolution. They’ve fully implemented Story’s licensing and royalty modules to tokenize text‑based IP like cover letters—transforming them into privacy‑preserving, monetizable digital assets with attribution. While cover letters were the starting point, the system is designed for any text asset: memos, essays, research, resumes, product feedback, and more.

Zion’s model addresses four critical IP challenges:

1/ Preserving privacy while enabling AI to learn from personal documents.
2/ Monetizing personal content—turning effort into revenue streams.
3/ Ensuring transparent attribution and traceable on‑chain provenance.
4/ Enabling creative value from personal IP beyond traditional media.

And it’s not just theory. The team behind Zion operates a consumer app with over 600K users. They won the Story track at @buidl_asia—and now, at @NarrativeCap, we’re working closely to bring this to market.

The goal is clear: unlock a new category of monetizable IP—personal text—that AI systems actually need.

This is what Chapter 2 of Story is about: Not just tokenizing art or music, but making structured real-world data usable, traceable, and monetizable—from user-generated content to operational workflows

Looking ahead, imagine a future where Story works with data consumers—autonomous vehicle companies, robotics firms, and healthcare innovators—to transform rich, permissioned data streams into powerful AI inputs.

Picture @Tesla_AI or other advanced robotics firms purchasing verified, licensed data to train better driving models or robotics systems. Tesla already uses real-world fleet data to train its Full Self-Driving and develop robotics—this IP layer could turn data into a tradable commodity, accelerating development and ensuring accountability

At Narrative, we’re investing and co‑building toward this vision: Story as the sovereign IP layer for data‑powered AI.

Envision:
– Robots and autonomous systems trained on verified, licensed real‑world datasets
– Healthcare AI built on opt‑in biometric and sensor data, tracked and compensated
– Creators licensing UGC and enterprise text with automated royalties and provenance

This is Chapter 2: scaling IP tokenization from music and art to the lifeblood of AI—real‑world data.

Let’s build a future where every byte of value is tracked, licensed, and monetized—on‑chain, permissioned, and ready for the AI era.

[Ingi Kim @codekim1214]

. @NarrativeCap and @rocketpunch_kr hosted the @Scroll_ZKP & Friends community event together with Scroll.

Scroll is a ZK-powered Layer 2 focused on real-world financial use cases, offering fast transaction speeds and low fees. During the event, the team shared their roadmap toward practical on-chain finance, including Cloak for payment privacy, the expansion of the USX stablecoin, and deeper integrations across DeFi and real-world assets.

@ether_fi goes far beyond a traditional staking protocol, building an integrated financial experience across Stake, Earn, Cash, and Trade. As one of the leading DeFi banks and crypto-native neobanks, https://t.co/gAhd31JydQ is clearly ahead of the curve. Its roadmap was particularly impressive, Korean language support, an Android app launch, cashback in ETH or stablecoins, expanded trading features, and even hotel and flight bookings—showing how DeFi is steadily becoming part of everyday financial life.

RocketPunch shared its vision of expanding into events, digital asset wallets, group chat, global onboarding, and decentralized social content. Moving forward, RocketPunch aims to evolve beyond hiring and education, becoming a platform that connects people to a much wider range of networking and opportunity-driven experiences.

The panel discussion covered practical topics such as the definition of DeFi banks and crypto neobanks, their relationship with traditional finance, why leading projects chose Scroll, differentiation in the stablecoin space, and the biggest challenges in building successful neobanks. With founders, investors, influencers, and industry leaders all in one room, the conversations and networking were especially meaningful.

Thank you to everyone who joined and contributed to the event.

Narrative and RocketPunch will continue connecting people and opportunities across hiring, education, events, and investment, while actively supporting teams in Korea and globally who are driving the next wave of innovation in Web3 and AI. If you need support or want to explore opportunities together, feel free to reach out anytime.

[Narrative @NarrativeCap]

A meaningful night in Seoul at the Scroll & Friends Community Event.

✔️ Opening Remarks
Scaling Ethereum’s ZK future with Scroll
✔️ Panel Discussion
DeFi-native neobanks and what’s next

@Scroll_ZKP @ether_fi @usxcapital @NarrativeCap @rocketpunch_kr

[Narrative @NarrativeCap]

RT @codekim1214: . @NarrativeCap was honored to participate in the Deep Tech Value-Up Program, supported by the @bizinfo1357 Ministry of SM…

[Ingi Kim @codekim1214]

지난 몇 달간 @ether_fi 캐시 카드를 직접 사용하면서, “미래 금융(Neobank)의 표준이 이런 모습이겠구나”라는 확신이 들었다.
단순한 크립토 카드가 아니라, 스테이킹/결제/투자/트레이딩/대출이 모두 하나의 경험으로 통합된 ��전히 새로운 네오뱅크 생태계다.

이제는 이더파이에서 호텔/항공 예약까지 더 저렴하게 가능하고, BTC·ETH·USDC·USDT는 물론 HYPE 토큰 예치까지 지원한다.
앞으로 토큰화된 주식/RWA 투자 및 담보 대출/결제, BNPL 기반 신용카드 경험까지 확장될 것이라고 생각한다.
Web3 기반의 글로벌 금융 서비스가 이렇게 빠르게 현실화되는 것을 직접 체감하고 있다.

마침 이더파이에서 Cashmas 이벤트가 열리고 있다.
12월 1~10일까지 친구를 초대하면 나도 10%, 친구도 10%, 총 20%의 결제 캐시백을 12월 동안 받을 수 있다.

저와 함께 미래의 금융 경험을 해보고 싶은 분들은 아래 링크로 가입해보면 좋겠다.
사업/투자 관점에서 Narrative/로켓펀치/이더파이와 협업에 관심 있는 분들도 로켓펀치에 가입하고 저에게 편하게 연락주길 바란다.

etherfi Cash 자세히보기: https://t.co/fHM9flCwqb

[Ingi Kim @codekim1214]

I joined the 3rd @incheon_gov Blockchain Cooperation Council, where industry leaders, government officials, and builders gathered to discuss the next phase of Korea’s Web3 and AI ecosystem. Meeting promising teams on the ground made it clear that Korea is entering a new chapter of growth and innovation.

One of the key contributions came from JinSeok Cho, CEO of KODA, Korea’s leading institutional digital asset management and custody provider. He highlighted the structural shifts happening in the stablecoin market, the regulatory pathways for RWA tokenization, and the emerging opportunities that will bridge digital assets with Korea’s capital markets.
His insights reinforced how quickly institutional adoption is accelerating in the region.
What stood out most was the Incheon Metropolitan Government’s strong commitment to discovering, supporting, and scaling blockchain and AI-driven companies. Seeing a local government take an active role—backed by concrete initiatives rather than broad statements—signals a meaningful shift in how Korea plans to shape its future tech landscape.

@NarrativeCap will continue to collaborate closely with both central and local governments to discover, invest in, and accelerate high-potential startups, while helping expand Korea’s Web3 ecosystem into global markets.

On the @rocketpunch_kr side, we’re already seeing increasing activity where governments, enterprises, and global Web3 projects connect naturally through events, partnerships, and community engagement.
We’re strengthening the platform to support global teams entering Korea—including tools for business networking, talent matching, local market access, and event participation.

Our goal is to build a stronger foundation for the rapid growth of Korea’s Web3/AI ecosystem.
If you want to stay close to upcoming collaborations, ecosystem events, and several digital-asset reward programs already in the pipeline, join RocketPunch today:

https://t.co/1tXBSiVjLe

[Narrative @NarrativeCap]

🚀 Scroll & Friends Community Event — Seoul Edition 🇰🇷

서울에서 열리는 첫 번째 Scroll & Friends 커뮤니티 이벤트에 여러분을 초대합니다. 한국 Web3 생태계를 이끄는 창업자·투자자·빌더들이 한자리에!

해당 이벤트는 @rocketpunch_kr @Rocketpunch_BC @Scroll_ZKP 와 함께합니다.

[Narrative @NarrativeCap]

🚀 Scroll & Friends Community Event — Seoul Edition 🇰🇷

Join us for the first Scroll & Friends Community Event in Seoul, bringing together founders, investors, and builders shaping Korea’s fast-growing Web3 ecosystem.

https://t.co/fK1rVMoTGx

[Base Korea @daehan_base]

대한베이스 (Base Korea)와 함께할 서포터즈 여러분을 모십니다.

Base 의 공식 한국 커뮤니티로, 한국 내 빌더와 유저가 함께 성장하는 온체인 문화를 형성하고 있습니다.

East Asia Lead @davidandpassion 및 Ambassadors와 함께, 한국 내 Base 성장을 도울 Researcher / Creator / DevRel 분들의 많은 지원을 부탁드립니다.

본 채용 공고는 @rocketpunch_kr @Rocketpunch_BC 과 함께합니다.

자세한 ��무 내용은 댓글 내 공고 참고 부탁드리며,
채용 관련 문의는 DM 혹은 텔레그램 그룹을 통해 부탁드립니다.

[Narrative @NarrativeCap]

We’re proud to support Syndicate as a long-term partner, and we look forward to collaborating across community programs, ecosystem growth, and beyond.

This is just the start — excited for what’s ahead together.

[Narrative @NarrativeCap]

Syndicate’s first event in Korea brought together a vibrant mix of founders, investors, developers, influencers, and Web3 professionals for meaningful conversations and community building.

[Syndicate @syndicateio]

KBW was just the beginning.

Syndicate’s first event in Seoul marked the start of our long-term commitment to Korea—building with developers, partners, and early adopters to shape a community-owned internet.

Proud to grow the community with local partners like @NarrativeCap.

[Narrative @NarrativeCap]

We’re live!
Partners introduced, raffle tickets handed out, and the energy is high ⚡️
Prizes & surprises on the way 🚀

👉Syndicate & Friends Community Event – Seoul Edition at #KBW2025 🇰🇷

@syndicateio @Alchemy @AerodromeFi @eigencloud @NarrativeCap

[Narrative @NarrativeCap]

Proud to co-host the Syndicate & Friends Community Event – Seoul Edition at #KBW2025 🇰🇷

Join us for an exclusive gathering of high-signal conversations, networking, food & drinks, and surprises. RSVP here 👇
@syndicateio @Alchemy @AerodromeFi @eigencloud @NarrativeCap

[Syndicate @syndicateio]

NEW KBW EVENT 🇰🇷

Networking. Food & drinks. Prizes. Surprises. 20,000 SYND.

Join Syndicate, @Alchemy, @AerodromeFi, @eigencloud @NarrativeCap this Thursday.

RSVP TODAY ↓