Early Life
Masayoshi Son was born Masayoshi Yasumoto on August 11, 1957, in Tosu, Saga Prefecture, Japan, to Zainichi Korean parents. His grandfather moved to Japan during the Japanese colonial period. Son faced discrimination due to his Korean background. At 16, he moved to the United States to study, graduating from the University of California, Berkeley, with a degree in Economics.
Rise to Success
Son founded SoftBank in 1981 as a software distributor. He saw an opportunity in the fragmented Japanese software market. The company expanded into publishing and telecommunications. Son's vision led to investments in internet services and the so-called new economy in the 1990s. A pivotal investment was in Alibaba in 1999, which yielded substantial returns when it went public. SoftBank's early investments in the internet and telecom sectors laid the foundation for its future growth.
Key Business Strategies
SoftBank's key strategies include aggressive investment in technology, particularly in AI and related sectors. Son is known for his bold investment moves, sometimes resulting in major losses, especially with the Vision Funds. SoftBank has made strategic partnerships and investments in AI, including the $500 billion Stargate Project. The company continues to focus on AI-based technology, including investments in OpenAI.
Philanthropy
Son is known for assisting disaster victims and fostering young talent. He pledged 10 billion yen to support the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami victims.