The 2025 Cannes Film Festival wasn’t just about cinema; it was a glimpse into the future of storytelling. At the center of this shift was the unveiling of a $20 million co-investment fund by Goldfinch Holdings and the Digital Genesis Fund. However, more than just a financial announcement, the moment marked the launch of something far more ambitious: a global infrastructure play for decentralized, AI-powered media.
Hendrik Hey, co-founder of Digital Genesis and founder of MILC (Media Industry Licensing Content), isn’t just betting on the future; he’s building it. With MILC positioned as a core infrastructure layer in this movement, the Cannes announcement was a declaration that the entertainment industry is shifting, and this time, the space is borderless, immersive, and decentralized.
A Strategic Partnership Built for Scale, Not Speculation
This $20 million initiative is designed to do more than fund isolated projects – it’s building the operational backbone for a new kind of media economy. Through Digital Genesis and Goldfinch’s alliance, the goal is to expand the reach of Web3 and metaverse tools across markets, creative sectors, and continents.
MILC isn’t a side partner in this plan – it’s the connective tissue. As a fully functional Web3 media environment, MILC supports creators and companies with tools for licensing, tokenized distribution, ad monetization, and immersive audience engagement. It’s not a prototype; it’s a working product.
The first rollout includes projects like Lumiere, a tokenized crowdfunding platform backed by Animoca Brands and Rolling Stone. It’s turning audiences into owners by letting everyday fans fund the media they love. There’s also The Squad, a decentralized production studio using smart contracts to give creators full IP control and open new pipelines for collaborative storytelling.
MILC now ties everything together. From rights management and branded content to audience rewards and metaverse delivery, the MILC platform delivers the backbone needed to scale decentralized media globally. Hendrik Hey calls this moment a “new Hollywood,” but this time, there’s no single city behind it, just a growing constellation of creators, tools, and communities.
The market signals back that this isn’t a futuristic gamble. According to recent data, the global blockchain market hit $26.91 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach nearly $1.88 trillion by 2034, growing at a staggering CAGR of 52.9%. In other words, the timing couldn’t be more right for media to meet infrastructure at the edge of tech.
From Festival Hype to Global Implementation
What happened in Cannes isn’t staying in Cannes. The $20 million announcement kicked off a calendar of global activations. First up is the Indonesia Creative Investment Forum, a two-day event co-hosted by Goldfinch Indonesia and supported by Synco, Goshen Prime, and the Indonesian Creative Ministry. It will bring together creators, investors, and policy leaders to explore how platforms like MILC, Lumiere, and The Squad can power Southeast Asia’s creative economy.
Indonesia is the first major touchpoint in a rollout that’s designed to be regionally adaptive and globally networked. Hendrik Hey and the team are already speaking with prospective partners in multiple markets to expand this model of co-financing, tokenized ownership, and metaverse-ready distribution.
As Hendrik Hey stated in Cannes, “We are no longer just creating content; we are building worlds. And in these worlds, everyone becomes part of the story.” This isn’t marketing language; it’s the architecture of a new media era.
Education: The Quiet Engine Behind the Revolution
For all the momentum, Hendrik Hey and MILC understand one truth clearly: no infrastructure scales without understanding.
That’s why MILC is taking an education-first approach across Europe. Their Web3 consulting webinars aren’t just brand positioning; they’re onboarding sessions for traditional companies ready to enter this new media economy. Through partnerships with regional Chambers of Industry and Commerce, including Hesse and Koblenz, MILC has already introduced executives to real-world applications of blockchain, NFTs, and smart contracts.
On the 4th of June, 2025, MILC hosted another session with the East Württemberg Chamber of Industry and Commerce. The aim of the webinar was to demystify the jargon and show exactly how decentralized tools can create value, whether for a TV studio, a marketing agency, or a manufacturing business looking to future-proof its digital footprint.
MILC’s goal is to empower more businesses to shift from passive observers to active participants. Their consulting approach includes readiness assessments, custom workshops, and long-term support. The idea is not just to explain Web3 but to help businesses implement it at scale.
Cannes was never the destination. It was the starting point. The $20 million fund was the green light for a decentralized media roadmap that stretches across geographies, industries, and tech stacks.
As the rollout moves from Europe to Southeast Asia and beyond, one thing is clear: the future of storytelling isn’t coming from one company, one country, or one screen. It’s being built collaboratively by creators, by businesses, by technologists, and by the people who believe that media shouldn’t just be watched – it should be lived.
About MILC
Hendrik Hey is the Founder of MILC (Media Industry Licensing Content), a pioneering company in the blockchain and metaverse space, with a strong background in media and content. MILC operates a real live metaverse platform that serves not only the media industry but also various industrial use cases. The company also focuses on Web3 consulting, aiming to support complex real-world industries on their way into Web3. MILC is a sister company of European media giant Welt der Wunder, which Hey founded over 25 years ago. For more information, please visit https://www.milc.global and https://www.ionpowergrid.com
