MILC Platform at Cannes: Powering the Next Era of Web3 Entertainment
As a core infrastructure partner in a $20M initiative by Goldfinch and Digital Genesis Fund, MILC strengthens its role in reshaping media for the decentralized age.
The 2025 Cannes Film Festival set the stage for one of the most forward-looking announcements in the entertainment industry: a $20 million initiative to create a Web3-native, AI-powered ecosystem for digital media. Launched by UK-based production house Goldfinch Holdings and Luxembourg’s Digital Genesis Fund, this landmark collaboration aims to incubate and accelerate entertainment ventures that embrace decentralization, AI, and blockchain technology.
While the financing and portfolio strategy is led by Goldfinch and Digital Genesis, the MILC Platform (Media Industry Licensing Content) was reaffirmed as a foundational technology partner within this venture. Already operating a live metaverse with real-world use cases, MILC will serve as one of the key infrastructure providers for this next-generation ecosystem.
Cannes Becomes a Gateway for Web3 Media
The announcement at the TechCannes Industry event placed significant attention on how Web3 is evolving from theory to deployment. Among the first key components of the venture is Lumiere — a tokenized crowdfunding platform backed by Animoca Brands and RS Productions. Lumiere, founded by strategic advisor Patrice Poujol, is the partnership’s first acquisition.
Alongside Lumiere, other innovative projects like The Squad (a Web3-native studio modeled on the Film3 framework) and MILC will form the technology and production pillars of the venture’s ecosystem.
MILC brings a fully operational platform with tools for AI-driven content creation, licensing, tokenization, and monetization. It enables media professionals and companies to plug directly into a functioning Web3 pipeline.
This positions MILC as a strategic solution for a core challenge identified at Cannes: many media players recognize the potential of Web3, but few know how to implement it.
Global Activation Begins
The fund’s first major international rollout will happen later this year at the Indonesia Creative Investment Forum. Co-hosted by Goldfinch Indonesia and supported by the Indonesian Creative Ministry, it will showcase Lumiere’s initial products and The Squad’s media toolkit.
MILC, as part of this expanding network, is expected to play a key infrastructural role, enabling tokenized licensing, content distribution, and immersive engagement through its metaverse capabilities.
The venture also includes technical collaborations with ARCWARE (Germany) to enable pixel streaming and automated production processes powered by AI. These integrations are aimed at reducing cost and complexity for creators.
Hendrik Hey, Co-Founder of the Digital Genesis Fund and founder of MILC, said:
“This must be what it felt like when the first Hollywood pioneers built their studios and set a new era of storytelling in motion. But this time, the canvas is infinite. Content doesn’t live only on screens anymore — it lives around us. We are building interactive universes where stories are lived, not just watched.”
MILC: From Vision to Deployment
MILC’s unique strength lies in its readiness. At Cannes, feedback from industry stakeholders confirmed that while many are still trying to grasp how to adopt Web3, MILC already offers a mature, full-spectrum platform. From content licensing and AI tools to tokenized access and community governance, MILC provides the connective tissue needed for the industry’s shift to Web3.
As entertainment, technology, and finance converge, MILC stands ready to support creators, studios, and investors entering this new frontier.
Conclusion
With the backing of Goldfinch and Digital Genesis, and alongside pioneering partners like Lumiere, MILC is helping to lay the groundwork for the decentralized entertainment economy. The Cannes announcement represents more than a funding milestone — it signals that the Web3 transformation of media is not just coming, it’s already in motion. And MILC is one of the platforms making it happen.
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
