{"id":71264,"date":"2025-03-06T10:08:23","date_gmt":"2025-03-06T18:08:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=71264"},"modified":"2025-03-06T10:08:23","modified_gmt":"2025-03-06T18:08:23","slug":"exclusive-interview-with-crossing-founder-taylor-tang-from-livestream-e-commerce-to-ip-card-game-innovation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=71264","title":{"rendered":"Exclusive Interview with Crossing Founder Taylor Tang: From Livestream E-commerce to IP Card Game Innovation"},"content":{"rendered":"
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LAPost\/Los Angeles (March 4, 2025)<\/strong> \u2014 In just three years, Crossing, a startup founded by international students, has grown into a leader in North America’s TCG (Trading Card Game) industry. Last May, the company secured $6 million in Series A funding led by China Literature Group and is now expanding its global presence. Recently, Los Angeles Post<\/em> conducted an exclusive interview with Crossing\u2019s founder, Taylor Tang, delving into the company\u2019s development, funding strategies, IP initiatives, and global market expansion.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Taylor Tang accepted an exclusive interview with the Los Angeles Post (Photo by: Richard Ren\/LAPost)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Strategic Shift: From Livestream E-commerce to IP Card Games<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Reflecting on the early challenges, Taylor shared, \u201cOur biggest hurdle was transitioning from a livestream e-commerce service provider to an IP card game ecosystem builder.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2021, Crossing\u2019s primary focus was livestreaming beauty and digital products. However, spotting trends in global consumer markets, the company pivoted in Q1 2022, executing a three-step strategic upgrade:<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Category Focus<\/strong>: Shifted from multi-category livestreaming to TCG card games, breaking into the market through TikTok card break streams.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Online-Offline Integration<\/strong>: Opened five flagship stores in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Tokyo, while attending 150+ major conventions annually to boost brand presence.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. From Distribution to IP Creation<\/strong>: Transitioned from reselling Pok\u00e9mon and One Piece cards to signing sports event IPs and launching their original IP \u2014 HiroQuest<\/em>.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    $6 Million Series A Funding and Global IP Expansion<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

    With $6 million in Series A funding led by China Literature Group, Taylor outlined four main areas of investment:<\/span><\/p>\n

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    • IP Ecosystem Expansion<\/strong>: Partnering with top 100 global entertainment IPs, focusing on anime and comic franchises.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Original IP Development<\/strong>: Advancing HiroQuest<\/em> through card game engine upgrades, collectibles, and cross-category products.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Channel Growth<\/strong>: Strengthening sales channels via livestreams, e-commerce, physical stores, and vending machines.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Tech Innovation<\/strong>: Integrating AI with IP content to enhance user experience.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Crossing is also preparing for Series B funding, seeking strategic investors to accelerate global expansion.<\/span><\/p>\n

      HiroQuest: Building a Global Original IP<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

      HiroQuest<\/em> has become a cornerstone of Crossing\u2019s brand, driven by:<\/span><\/p>\n

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      • Global Collaborations<\/strong>: Partnering with world-renowned DJ Steve Aoki to expand HiroQuest<\/em>‘s global reach.<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Immersive Storytelling<\/strong>: Blending music, sci-fi, and adventure to create an engaging IP universe.<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Cross-Industry Partnerships<\/strong>: Collaborating with fashion brands like Burton to extend HiroQuest<\/em>\u2019s influence.<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Diverse Product Lines<\/strong>: Focusing on innovative card design and gameplay to balance collectibility and gaming experiences.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Crossing aims to further HiroQuest<\/em> by developing animations, digital collectibles, and mobile games, while partnering with top-tier IPs and artists worldwide.<\/span><\/p>\n

        Global Expansion and Future Outlook<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

        Currently, Crossing operates physical stores in the U.S. and Japan and is exploring the European market, with plans to open offices in the UK and Germany and collaborate with local partners.<\/span><\/p>\n

        \u201cOur five-year goal is to make Crossing a global leader in IP derivatives \u2014 dominating North America’s TCG market and establishing HiroQuest<\/em> as a beloved global brand,\u201d Taylor stated.<\/span><\/p>\n

        Looking ahead, Taylor predicts that IP collaborations, digital innovation, in-person experiences, and globalization will drive the TCG industry. Crossing is committed to pushing boundaries, delivering diverse content, and enhancing player experiences in this global IP race.<\/span><\/p>\n

        Born in Harbin, Taylor Tang began his entrepreneurial journey while studying at UC Irvine. As a 90s-born serial entrepreneur, he was named to the 30 Under 30 Chinese Entrepreneurs in the US<\/em> list in 2020, co-hosted by AACYF and Los Angeles Post<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

        (By: Richard Ren \/ LAPost)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        LAPost\/Los Angeles (March 4, 2025) \u2014...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":71083,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,6,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-71264","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","category-ca-local","category-u-s-a"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71264","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=71264"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71264\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":71265,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71264\/revisions\/71265"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/71083"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=71264"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=71264"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=71264"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}