Millions of Japanese mobile phone users will soon be able to download music and video ringtones from some of the world's biggest names in rock and pop, thanks to an innovative Ayrshire multimedia firm.
Irvine-based Alchemedia Interactive yesterday said it was set to sign a major deal with Index Holdings, one of the largest mobile content providers in Japan, during a visit to that country next week.
The deal means Alchemedia will sell through a catalogue of MP3 quality music and video mobile phone ringtones, full songs and full music videos to a network of popular ringtone companies connected to Index.
The funding for the Japanese move was provided via a £22,000 loan from DSL Business Finance, a not-for-profit business support agency based in Govan, Glasgow, after Alchemedia was turned down by its bank for finance.
Alchemedia, which employs five people, plans to use the loan to build upon its Japanese venture and move quickly into other south-east Asia markets, such as South Korea and Indonesia.
It is also planning to hire three more staff members before the end of the year.
The Japanese music download market is the biggest in the world and was worth around £225m in 2006.
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