The Smartlands Platform team just got a new addition. When in Vilnius at the Stellar meetup event, we got a chance to chat with the new Smartlands Platform Business Developer, Antanas Krasauskas

Before joining Smartlands Platform, Antanas worked at Ferratum Group for almost two years as Country Manager of Lithuania. Previously he has worked at Telia, DnB Bank and management/consulting company Civitta. He holds a Master’s degree in Financial Economics from BI Norwegian Business School. Antanas’ primary focus is on finance, commerce, and management.

What was it that got you excited about the Smartlands Platform, something that made you go “yes, that’s it, I want to be a part of this!”?

I’d say it was the general idea of the business – I believe that tokenizing real-world assets is going to be the next big thing, so I wanted to be part of it and help build a company which is developing a platform for it.

What do you think is the biggest challenge in your new role, and how are you going to overcome it?

The main challenges are probably the same as for anybody else in a business development capacity – first, we need scope the demand and create the instrument of supply. In our case, the Smartland Platform for security token issuance. Then finding the real-world niche for our services, although, this part isn’t that complicated given that Smartlands Platform is appearing precisely at the time when asset tokenization is rapidly becoming part of the real economy. And of course, once the legal framework and the technical part are in place, we need to make sure that we can deliver well above the initial promise.

What do you think are the main differences between developing an Internet-based business and something more down-to-Earth like a restaurant or a manufacturing plant?

I don’t think that they are that different, to be honest. Nowadays, almost every business relies heavily on technology and the internet. However, one of the main advantages that e-businesses have is that once the product is running smoothly, it is possible to scale the business much faster and with much less investment. In our case, there is a potential to become truly global business within the next few years which would be way less realistic in a case of a restaurant.

In your opinion, what is the main product of a digital enterprise, specifically the Smartlands Platform? In other words, how do you answer questions like “what do you do” or “what are you working on right now”?

I think my favorite way of answering would be that Smartlands Platform is granting access to investors. It’s all about access. There used to be a huge gap between the opportunities available to institutional investors only v. retail. Smartlands is out to eliminate that barrier. Our business concept is relatively straightforward, and we don’t want to get retail investors involved in the technical part more than necessary. Our first tokenization process will show right away all the remaining pitfalls and all the advantages of security tokens, and we’ll go on from there.

It’s undisputed that asset tokenization is the general direction the stock market is moving in and Smartlands Platform plans on being at the forefront of that movement. From the standpoint of developing this business as a successful future-oriented strategic enterprise, what do you think the necessary first steps are?

Without a doubt, making sure we have an outstanding product and successfully launching first few tokenization projects to show that we are serious and up to the challenge. Our first successes will beget trust, which, in turn, will facilitate the growth of both our business and community.

Speaking of community, what is its role in developing Smartlands Platform into a formidable player on the asset tokenization scene? How do you plan on working with our current followers, creating new onеs, convincing VCs, media, professional investors as well as retail investors and regular people that Smartlands Platform is going places?

Our community is one of the main reasons why we are now able to develop the platform and turn this idea into a real business, so it is essential to keep them onboard and involved. We must keep the dialogue open – the back-and-forth with the community will not cease, the options will always be on the table, nothing vague, no small print, no hidden costs. Underpromise and Overdeliver tangible results are the name of the game, and Smartlands Platform is not going to lose it.