How SoftBank is playing catch-up despite focusing on AI since 2018; PitchBook says the firm invested in just one of the 26 generative AI startups valued at $1B+

Billionaire Masayoshi Son said he would make SoftBank ‘the investment company for the AI revolution,’ but he missed out on the most recent frenzy

Wall Street Journal 2023-07-04 Eliot Brown

@alistairmbarr Alistair Barr on x
SoftBank put around $4 billion into Nvidia in 2017, only to sell its shares in 2019. Nvidia stock is up about 10 times since. https://www.wsj.com/... via @WSJ @eliotwb
@tomgara Tom Gara on x
My “we are not just recklessly making investments” shirt is raising a lot of questions already answered by the shirt https://twitter.com/...
@gunjanjs Gunjan Banerji on x
“A French AI startup raised $113 million last month, less than eight weeks after it incorporated” https://www.wsj.com/... @eliotwb @WSJmarkets
@jessefelder Jesse Felder on x
'Son's lack of success with AI shows the difficulties that face investors attempting to ride the current wave of enthusiasm. Even with a gargantuan amount of money to spread across dozens of companies, picking winners is an elusive game.' https://www.wsj.com/...
@eliotwb Eliot Brown on x
SoftBank's Masa, 2018: “We are not just recklessly making investments ... We are focusing on one theme, which is AI.” ($140 B via 400+ startups later) SoftBank in just one 26 generative $1B + AI startups. Virtually no public co exposure to AI https://www.wsj.com/...
@jmackin2 James Mackintosh on x
If at first Masa Son doesn't succeed, try, try again. @eliotwb on Softbank's AI push, part II https://www.wsj.com/...

Chronicles