Valentino Rossi, nine times world champion and one of the most famous sports stars of all time, makes his web3 debut by setting up a company dedicated to create and develop unique contents about the VR46 brand in the metaverses, in gaming universe and in the NFTs (non-fungible tokens) environment.

VR46 Metaverse is the result of a joint venture with The Hundred, the Italian media holding that will provide its know-how to develop virtual experiences for the fans of "The Doctor" around the world, motorsports enthusiasts and gamers. The joint venture behind the foundation of VR46 Metaverse was promoted by Nicola Volpi, lead investor at The Hundred.

"Entering this massive project is an exciting venture that I've decided to embark on with a structured approach, in partnership with high-level players," said Valentino Rossi. "I am thrilled to be able to reach fans all over the world, bringing them the atmosphere and enthusiasm of VR46 through new technologies."

The project has a multi-year roadmap, starting in 2022 and guaranteeing ongoing support in the years to come. The purpose of VR46 Metaverse is to create, inside persistent virtual worlds, a global platform dedicated to "The Doctor", the VR46 Racing Team and the Academy, where fans of the rider and all motorsport enthusiasts will be able to meet VR46 official riders, interact with other users, and even race against each other's.

Jean Claude Ghinozzi, an executive with proven international experience gained at Microsoft, Activision Blizzard and Electronic Arts, will lead the VR46 Metaverse project as CEO of the joint venture. The first contents developed by the new company, expected as early as in 2022, will immediately offer immersive and engaging experiences to both Valentino Rossi's historic fan base and new audience generated by the rise of these new technologies.

VR46 is a group of companies owned by Valentino Rossi and created to manage different projects in Motorsport across the board: VR46 Racing Team, founded to support emerging riders from Moto3 to MotoGP, and already world champion in 2018 with Francesco Bagnaia; VR46 Riders Academy, an innovative project to provide professional and sport-related support to young Italian riders throughout their career; VR46 Racing Apparel, a sport merchandising project inspired by Valentino Rossi's revolutionary vision.

The Hundred, founded in 2019 by Vincenzo Macrì (current CEO of the company), Marino Giocondi and Leonardo Bongiorno, is a media holding specialized in company building with digital talents, athletes and content creators. In 2021 the company closed a round of fundraising for 5 million of euros, promoted by Nicola Volpi, lead investor of a pool of high-profile investors, and supported by Antonio Zaccheo.