SoftBank Group
Japanese investment holding company with the world's largest tech venture fund.
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SoftBank Group Corp. is a Japanese multinational investment holding company headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, that focuses on investment management. It primarily invests in technology companies operating across markets from the internet to automation, and its Vision Fund, with over $100 billion in capital at its onset, is the world's largest technology-focused venture capital fund. The company is known for the leadership of its controversial founder and largest shareholder, Masayoshi Son, and holds stakes in firms such as Arm, Alibaba, OYO Rooms, WeWork, and Deutsche Telekom.
Founded on 3 September 1981 by the then-24-year-old Son, the company began as a software distributor. It expanded into publishing in 1982 with computer magazines, eventually becoming Japan’s largest publisher of technology periodicals and trade shows. SoftBank went public in 1994, valued at $3 billion, and soon after acquired Ziff Davis for $2.1 billion. In the 1990s, Son made large bets on internet services, including the purchase of COMDEX and the formation of a joint venture with Yahoo! that created Yahoo! Japan. A notable early investment was $20 million in the Chinese internet venture Alibaba in 2000, which grew to $60 billion by Alibaba’s 2014 IPO. In 2006, SoftBank entered Japan’s mobile market by acquiring Vodafone Japan, rebranding it as SoftBank Mobile. The company also owns the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks baseball team. Its spun-out affiliate, SoftBank Corporation, is Japan’s third-largest wireless carrier, with over 45 million subscribers as of March 2021. SoftBank was ranked 130th in the 2025 Forbes Global 2000 list. Its logo is based on the flag of the Kaientai, a 19th-century naval trading company. In January 2025, SoftBank joined OpenAI, MGX, and Oracle to launch Stargate, a $500 billion artificial intelligence infrastructure project backed by the U.S. government.
- founded
- 3 September 1981
- founder
- Masayoshi Son
- headquarters
- Minato, Tokyo, Japan
- industry
- Investment management
- known_for
- World's largest technology-focused venture capital fund (Vision Fund); investmen
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
SoftBank was founded on 3 September 1981 by then-24-year-old Masayoshi Son as a software distributor. It entered publishing in May 1982 with the launches of Oh! PC and Oh! MZ magazines, becoming Japan's largest publisher of computer and technology magazines and trade shows. The company went public in 1994, valued at $3 billion, and in 1995 agreed to purchase Ziff Davis for $2.1 billion. In the 1990s, Son made large investments in internet services, including buying COMDEX in 1995 and forming a joint venture with Yahoo! in 1996 to create Yahoo! Japan. In 2000, SoftBank invested $20 million in Alibaba, which turned into $60 billion when Alibaba went public in 2014.
Reader's Guide
SoftBank Group's significance lies in its role as a transformative force in global technology investment, particularly through the SoftBank Vision Fund, which mobilized over $100 billion from sovereign wealth funds in the Middle East. Its founder Masayoshi Son's controversial leadership and high-risk, high-reward strategy—exemplified by the $20 million Alibaba investment that yielded $60 billion—reshaped venture capital. The company's acquisitions, such as Arm Holdings for over $32 billion and Sprint for $22.2 billion, expanded its influence across semiconductors and telecommunications. However, its portfolio includes several unprofitable unicorns, and its legacy is marked by both spectacular successes and notable losses, such as the Kingston Technology sale at a loss and the withdrawal from a DreamWorks Animation bid. The 2025 Stargate project, a $500 billion AI infrastructure initiative with OpenAI, MGX, and Oracle, underscores its ongoing ambition in artificial intelligence.
Did You Know?
- SoftBank's logo is based on the flag of the Kaientai, a naval trading company founded in 1865 by Sakamoto Ryōma.
- In 2000, SoftBank invested $20 million in Alibaba, which turned into $60 billion when Alibaba went public in September 2014.
- SoftBank bought 80% of memory manufacturer Kingston Technology in 1996, but sold it back at a loss for about a third of the original price a few years later.
- On January 21, 2025, SoftBank announced the Stargate project, a $500 billion AI infrastructure system with OpenAI, MGX, and Oracle, in conjunction with the U.S. government.
- SoftBank Corporation, its spun-out affiliate, is the third-largest wireless carrier in Japan with 45.621 million subscribers as of March 2021.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SoftBank Group?
SoftBank Group is a Japanese investment holding company based in Minato, Tokyo, whose core business is managing capital by taking stakes in technology firms across sectors ranging from the internet to automation. It operates as a conglomerate focused on investment management rather than manufacturing or consumer services.
Who leads SoftBank Group?
Masayoshi Son, the founder and largest shareholder, has been the driving force behind the company's aggressive investment strategy since its inception. His high-risk, high-reward approach to backing tech ventures has made him one of the most recognizable—and polarizing—figures in global business.
What is the Vision Fund?
The Vision Fund is SoftBank Group's flagship venture capital vehicle, which launched with over $100 billion in committed capital, making it the largest technology-focused VC fund in the world. It has deployed money into a broad roster of startups and growth-stage companies across global markets.
Which companies does SoftBank Group hold stakes in?
Its portfolio includes well-known names such as Arm, Alibaba, OYO Rooms, WeWork, and Deutsche Telekom, among others. These holdings span semiconductors, e-commerce, hospitality, coworking, and telecommunications.
When and where was SoftBank Group founded?
The company was established on 3 September 1981 by Masayoshi Son in Japan. It has since grown into a multinational conglomerate headquartered in Minato, Tokyo.
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