Early Life
Masayoshi Son was born on August 11, 1957, in Tosu, Saga Prefecture, Japan, to a Zainichi Korean family. Despite facing discrimination, Son excelled academically and developed an early interest in business. At age 16, he moved to the United States and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a degree in economics in 1980.
Rise to Success
Returning to Japan, Son founded SoftBank in 1981, initially as a software distributor. The company rapidly expanded into publishing and telecommunications. A pivotal moment came in 1999 when Son invested $20 million in Alibaba, which later became a substantial asset. He transformed SoftBank into an investment holding company, SoftBank Group Corp., known for its focus on technology.
Key Business Strategies
Son's strategies included aggressive mergers and acquisitions and a focus on venture capital. SoftBank's Vision Fund, established in 2017, invested in numerous emerging tech companies. He also led the acquisition of Arm Holdings in 2016. Son's early investments in internet firms like Yahoo! and Alibaba were very successful. His vision fund has faced challenges, but has invested in various startups like Uber and WeWork.
Philanthropy
Masayoshi Son is involved in philanthropic activities. He pledged a 10 billion yen donation and gave his remaining salary to help the victims of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. In 2016, he established the Masason Foundation to support youth innovators worldwide.