PROJECT88
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The idea for BATRANK came after spending countless hours browsing, discussing, bidding on, and running our own auctions. We realized that there was a total lack of data and support to help sellers and buyers be successful.
Using our experience building software and managing large datasets, we are creating the foundation for the premium car auction market to flourish in ways never imagined.
BATRANK
2024 - batrank.com
A Product of Our Own Pastime
BATRANK aggregates auction data and transforms it into useful insights and tools. We help our users
discover hidden gems and make data-driven decisions whether they are selling or buying.
The idea for BATRANK came after spending countless hours browsing, discussing, bidding on, and running our own auctions. We realized that there was a total lack of data and support to help sellers and buyers be successful.
Using our experience building software and managing large datasets, we are creating the foundation for the premium car auction market to flourish in ways never imagined.
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In parallel with the Track Manual website, we built a small communnity of grassroot racers via Discord to share track and autocross knowledge.
Track Manual is the resource we wished we had when we attended our first track days as novices. What was a community guide became a prominent internet resource, reaching top search engine results for subjects like the best brake fluid.
TRACK MANUAL
2022 - trackmanual.com
The Motorsport Guide We Wish We Had
The goal of Track Manual is to make motorsports more accessible. To that end, it provides a
comprehensive tutorial on how to get started with racing along with info about racetracks and
related-services, such as track insurance. Since inception, it has helped thousands of motorsport
participants worldwide.
In parallel with the Track Manual website, we built a small communnity of grassroot racers via Discord to share track and autocross knowledge.
Track Manual is the resource we wished we had when we attended our first track days as novices. What was a community guide became a prominent internet resource, reaching top search engine results for subjects like the best brake fluid.
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Influenced by video games and web3, we built an interface for users to calculate the rarity of different configurations of Porsche 911s. Rarity is determined using production statistics and a formula popularized by NFTs, which calculates the weighted rarity of individual characteristics compared to the total population.
When a user looks up a configuration, we also populate the page with live and completed auctions of Porsche 911s with the same configuration.
PORSCHE RARITY
2023 - Vaulted
Rarified Air
Porsche Rarity is an interactive website that helps users determine a Porsche 911's rarity.
Rarity is heavily valued and debated in car communities. A different combination of color,
transmission, and wheels may translate to a $50k difference between 2 cars with the same MSRP.
Influenced by video games and web3, we built an interface for users to calculate the rarity of different configurations of Porsche 911s. Rarity is determined using production statistics and a formula popularized by NFTs, which calculates the weighted rarity of individual characteristics compared to the total population.
When a user looks up a configuration, we also populate the page with live and completed auctions of Porsche 911s with the same configuration.
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PROJECT88
Project88 is our vessel to experiment at the intersection of car culture, motorsports, and technology. From startups,
tech giants, and the racetrack, we draw upon our experience to craft unique products and experiences.
The Team
Kent Makishima
Kent didn't know at the time that a simple 5-speed Mazda 3 would captivate him for life.
He saw cars as an extension of someone's character, a creative canvas that can be
made his own through amateur wrenching and questionable upgrades.
The Mazda 3 became a Miata, following his love of JDM cars and culture. However, a ride in a Mercedes SL opened a new world of European motoring, which years later, he fused with the JDM spirit in his heavily-modified Porsche 911.
Professionally, Kent's journey was anything but a typical track. He started multiple companies and found success in crypto and web3 at giants like Animoca Brands, building expertise in designing innovative products, unraveling digital consumer behavior, and experimenting with new technologies.
The Mazda 3 became a Miata, following his love of JDM cars and culture. However, a ride in a Mercedes SL opened a new world of European motoring, which years later, he fused with the JDM spirit in his heavily-modified Porsche 911.
Professionally, Kent's journey was anything but a typical track. He started multiple companies and found success in crypto and web3 at giants like Animoca Brands, building expertise in designing innovative products, unraveling digital consumer behavior, and experimenting with new technologies.
Michael Deng
Michael first realized he was into cars when he was taking the train to high school.
He would often find himself gazing at the freeway, trying to name the make and model
of every car that zoomed past. He wouldn't feel satisfied until he got every single
one right.
Over the next decade, he bought and sold many cars, developed an interest in beemers, totaled his favorite one on the track, and never stopped dreaming about one day shaking up the car world.
Michael led the LP and automation engineering teams at AngelList Venture, founded a hardware startup, was a tech lead and PM at Slack, and built software at Uber and Workday. He's incredibly excited about Project88, an experimental testing ground for products that live at the nexus of car culture and tech.
Over the next decade, he bought and sold many cars, developed an interest in beemers, totaled his favorite one on the track, and never stopped dreaming about one day shaking up the car world.
Michael led the LP and automation engineering teams at AngelList Venture, founded a hardware startup, was a tech lead and PM at Slack, and built software at Uber and Workday. He's incredibly excited about Project88, an experimental testing ground for products that live at the nexus of car culture and tech.