REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
SoftBank Group Corp. chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son.
- SoftBank's Vision Fund is the world's largest tech investor and has backed companies like Uber, WeWork, and Ola.
- The $100 billion is partly funded by SoftBank, with significant backing from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.
- The fund is most closely associated with SoftBank Group's CEO, Masayoshi Son. But the senior team is made up of a number of former investment bankers and technologists.
- Together, they're writing checks for billions of dollars and reshaping the tech landscape.
Softbank's Vision Fund has set out to find the tech stars of tomorrow today.
Led by the billionaire Masayoshi Son, the $100 billion mega fund drew astonishment, acclaim, and scorn upon its launch in 2017. Doling out checks in increments of at least $100 million, it has amassed a sprawling and formidable portfolio of about 80 tech investments in AI, semiconductors, e-commerce, transportation, and healthcare.
And it backs some of the biggest names in tech today, including Uber, Slack, WeWork, and Grab.
The rich financial support has allowed tech companies to remain privately held for longer periods by providing liquidity for employees and resources for aggressive expansion campaigns.
The fund itself has grown quickly. It's claimed that it will soon have 800 staff, up from 400 in September. At the top, there are 34 key figures driving SoftBank forward, including investors, technologists, and talent spotters.
Of those managing partners and partners, 29 are men, five are women, and 15 are former investment bankers or traders.
Meet the SoftBank Vision Fund's top people.