SoftBank Group

SoftBank Group is a multinational telecommunications and internet corporation based in Japan. It operates through four segments: mobile communications, Sprint, fixed-line telecommunications, and internet. The company provides a wide range of services, including mobile and fixed-line voice and data transmission services, broadband services, internet advertising, e-commerce, and digital television. SoftBank Group also invests in various technologies through its venture capital arms, such as SoftBank Investment Advisers and SoftBank Vision Fund, focusing on areas like artificial intelligence, robotics, and the Internet of Things. One of its notable subsidiaries, SoftBank Robotics, designs and manufactures humanoid robots for various applications, including education, healthcare, and business.

Karim Abouzahr

Director, SoftBank Europe Ventures

Praveen Akkiraju

Managing Partner, Americas, Asia

Kristin Bannon

Investment Director, SoftBank Investment Advisers

Lee Bocker

COO

Jonathan Bullock

COO and Managing Director

John Cassidy

Investment Director, Life Sciences and HealthTech

Tom Cheung

Partner, Americas

Rodrigo Costa

Partner

Serena Dayal

Investment Director

Angela Du

Investor

Colin Fan

Managing Partner, SoftBank Investment Advisers

Ted Fike

Director, Americas

Ronald Fisher

Vice Chairman

Navneet Govil

Managing Partner, CFO

Ayush Jain

Investment Vice President

Lydia Jett

Partner

Sumer Juneja

Managing Partner and Head of EMEA and India Investing

Robert Kaplan

Investment Director

Nagraj Kashyap

Managing Partner

Matt Krna

Principal

Chris Lee

Partner, Asia

Anna Lo

Director, Americas

Amit Lubovsky

Investor

Jimi Macdonald

Director

Kentaro Matsui

Managing Partner, Asia

Ken Miyauchi

Representative Director and Senior Executive Vice President

Greg Moon

Associate

Akshay Naheta

Partner, EMEA

Gowri Narayanan

Partner, FinTech

Karol Niewiadomski

Partner

Shu Nyatta

Managing Partner

Max Ohrstrand

Partner, EMEA

Vikas Parekh

Managing Partner, Americas

Ben Parton

Director of Deals and Transactions

Paulo Passoni

Managing Investment Partner

Yanni Pipilis

Managing Partner

Narendra Rathi

Director, Asia

Brett Rochkind

Managing Partner

Saleh Romeih

Managing Partner, Investment Committee Member, SBIA, EMEA

Ram Trichur

Partner

Ervin Tu

Partner, Americas

Munish Varma

Partner, EMEA, Asia

Aaron Wong

Vice President

Kenichi Yoshida

Chief Business Officer and Executive Vice President

Linda Yu

Vice President, Vision Fund

Andrew Zloto

Investment Director

Tim Yap

Director, EMEA

Past deals in Hardware

QuEra Computing

Convertible Note in 2025
QuEra Computing is a company focused on developing quantum computing technology. They specialize in building large-scale quantum computers using neutral atoms. QuEra uses innovative techniques to manipulate and control qubits for quantum computation, aiming to solve complex problems in fields like chemistry, materials science, and machine learning. Their quantum computers operate on a platform that leverages arrays of neutral atoms that are highly scalable, providing a path toward achieving quantum advantage for practical applications.

Jaka Robot

Series D in 2022
Jaka Robot is a Shanghai-based company that specializes in the development, engineering, manufacturing, and marketing of industrial robots. Founded in 2014, the company offers a range of products, including the JAKA ZuTM robot, which features a wireless control system compatible with mobile applications. Additionally, Jaka Robot provides JAKA MES for information integration across various factory departments, along with conveyor systems, palletizing robot systems, and liner molding machines. Its clientele spans multiple sectors, including food and beverage, chemical, packaging, electronics, and mechanical processing industries.

Synthego

Series E in 2022
Synthego Corporation is a genome engineering company focused on advancing life science research and therapeutic development to improve human health. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Redwood City, California, Synthego offers a comprehensive platform that integrates proprietary hardware, software, bioinformatics, chemistries, and molecular biology. The company's product portfolio includes engineered cells, CRISPR kits, and bioinformatics tools designed for various applications such as pathway analysis, target validation, disease modeling, and diagnostics. By leveraging machine learning and automation, Synthego enables researchers in biotechnology and academia to conduct efficient and precise gene editing, facilitating rapid advancements in drug discovery and development. The company serves a global customer base, distributing its products through various channels, including online sales and partnerships in multiple countries.

Platform Science

Series C in 2022
Platform Science develops and integrates hardware solutions, software solutions, and Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure tailored for the transportation industry. The company's flagship product is an enterprise-grade IoT fleet management platform designed to enhance logistics processes. This platform provides core telematics functionality, including applications for compliance, safety, and productivity, while supporting dynamic hardware configurations and partner integrations. Additionally, Platform Science offers fleet management apps aimed at managing compliance, improving driver experience, and maximizing productivity. Founded in 2014, the company is headquartered in La Jolla, California, and operates as a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks North America LLC.

Humane

Series B in 2021
Humane Inc., established in 2016 and headquartered in San Francisco, is a technology company specializing in the development and sale of consumer hardware, software, and services. Its mission is to create innovative, user-centric products that are intuitive, natural, and humane, fostering a seamless connection between people and technology.

Whoop

Series F in 2021
Whoop, Inc. is a Boston-based company that specializes in the development and sale of wearable fitness sensors designed for athletes to monitor their physiological metrics during workouts. Founded in 2012, Whoop provides a performance optimization system that continuously tracks key indicators such as heart rate, sleep, and recovery. The company's flagship product, the Whoop Strap 3.0, collects data around the clock, offering users insights that help balance training, minimize injuries, and enhance overall performance. In addition to the wearable device, Whoop offers a variety of apparel and accessories, including bands, tops, joggers, and hats, primarily sold online. By delivering personalized insights into physical exertion and recovery, Whoop aims to help athletes and teams maximize their potential and improve their training outcomes.

TUL

Series B in 2021
Tul is a marketplace designed for the buying and selling of hardware and construction materials, founded in 2020 and headquartered in Bogotá, Colombia. The company operates an e-commerce application that connects construction material manufacturers with small businesses. Through its online store, Tul offers a wide range of hardware and construction products, allowing users to purchase everything they need in one location. The platform facilitates delivery to the buyer's chosen destination, helping businesses manage their inventory needs efficiently while providing customers with easy access to the parts required for their projects.

Tempo

Series C in 2021
Tempo designs and develops a home fitness platform with personal guidance to help users in their training sessions. It features live elite trainers who can help users when they make mistakes. It has built-in three-dimensional sensors that track form, counts reps, and recommend weights. It helps users to improve in real-time. Powered by 3D motion sensors and AI, it analyzes 25 of the body’s essential joints as users work out and gives understood form feedback. Moawia Eldeeb and Joshua Augustin founded it as Pivot in 2015, with its headquarters in San Francisco in California.

SambaNova Systems

Series D in 2021
SambaNova Systems, based in Palo Alto, California, develops a technology platform that integrates hardware and software solutions for artificial intelligence and machine learning applications. Founded in 2017, the company focuses on creating systems optimized for data processing, model training, and analytics, enabling high-performance execution of machine learning tasks. SambaNova's technology is designed to be flexible and scalable, catering to various sectors such as healthcare, finance, and autonomous vehicles. By enhancing the efficiency of AI-powered algorithms, SambaNova aims to support organizations in leveraging advanced data analytics effectively.

Latona

Series A in 2021
Latona, Inc. is a Tokyo-based company specializing in microfinance and the development of innovative core technologies to enhance user experiences. The company integrates three key technological segments: onboarding AI model container runtimes, sensor-controlling software stacks, and FPGA/RTOS real-time applications and hardware. Latona offers a comprehensive platform that encompasses artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, edge computing, and other essential resources to drive innovation across various application-driven architectures and computational components. Additionally, it provides a range of information technology and consulting services tailored for IoT businesses, including visual programming, technology consulting, data integration workflows, automation processing, and cross-domain system integration, helping clients leverage managed cloud and consulting solutions effectively.

MadeiraMadeira

Series E in 2021
MadeiraMadeira is an online marketplace based in Curitiba, Brazil, that specializes in home products. Founded in 2009, the company offers an extensive selection of over 300,000 items, allowing customers to build, furnish, renovate, and decorate their homes conveniently through a smartphone or computer. The platform features a diverse range of products, including bathtubs, wooden doors, steel windows, wooden flooring, and lighting solutions, making it a comprehensive destination for home decor needs.

Whoop

Series E in 2020
Whoop, Inc. is a Boston-based company that specializes in the development and sale of wearable fitness sensors designed for athletes to monitor their physiological metrics during workouts. Founded in 2012, Whoop provides a performance optimization system that continuously tracks key indicators such as heart rate, sleep, and recovery. The company's flagship product, the Whoop Strap 3.0, collects data around the clock, offering users insights that help balance training, minimize injuries, and enhance overall performance. In addition to the wearable device, Whoop offers a variety of apparel and accessories, including bands, tops, joggers, and hats, primarily sold online. By delivering personalized insights into physical exertion and recovery, Whoop aims to help athletes and teams maximize their potential and improve their training outcomes.

Humane

Series A in 2020
Humane Inc., established in 2016 and headquartered in San Francisco, is a technology company specializing in the development and sale of consumer hardware, software, and services. Its mission is to create innovative, user-centric products that are intuitive, natural, and humane, fostering a seamless connection between people and technology.

MadeiraMadeira

Series D in 2019
MadeiraMadeira is an online marketplace based in Curitiba, Brazil, that specializes in home products. Founded in 2009, the company offers an extensive selection of over 300,000 items, allowing customers to build, furnish, renovate, and decorate their homes conveniently through a smartphone or computer. The platform features a diverse range of products, including bathtubs, wooden doors, steel windows, wooden flooring, and lighting solutions, making it a comprehensive destination for home decor needs.

Fungible

Series C in 2019
Fungible, Inc. is a company that specializes in developing hardware and software solutions for cloud data centers. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Santa Clara, California, with an additional office in Bengaluru, India, Fungible aims to enhance data movement through innovative technology. The company's core offering includes a low latency, high throughput, and highly programmable chip designed to optimize data flow in data centers. Additionally, Fungible provides full-stack infrastructure software that leverages standard components, protocols, and interfaces, focusing on improving the economics, security, and reliability of cloud data centers to meet evolving infrastructure demands. The founders of Fungible bring substantial experience from the networking, silicon, and software sectors, positioning the company to make a significant impact in the data center industry.

Nvidia

Post in 2017
Nvidia, established in 1993, is a leading technology company specializing in the design and manufacture of graphics processing units (GPUs). Its primary business segments are GPU and Tegra Processors. The GPU segment caters to various markets, including gaming (GeForce), professional visualization (Quadro), artificial intelligence (Tesla), cloud-based gaming (GeForce NOW), and data center (DGX, EGX). The Tegra Processor segment focuses on mobile-cloud computing, AI, and edge devices, serving markets such as gaming (SHIELD), autonomous vehicles (DRIVE AGX), medical instruments (Clara AGX), and robotics (Jetson AGX). Nvidia's products are sold to a wide range of customers, including original equipment manufacturers, system builders, retailers, and automotive manufacturers, among others. The company's headquarters are in Santa Clara, California.

Quicktron Robotics

Series B in 2017
Quicktron Robotics is an industrial automation company that focuses on providing advanced hardware, control software, and robotic system solutions tailored for warehouse and factory environments. The company specializes in intelligent driving and autonomous robotics, aiming to streamline material handling and fulfillment processes. Quicktron develops an intelligent warehouse logistics operating system that integrates artificial intelligence algorithms with AI robots to automate manual labor tasks such as selecting, transporting, and sorting goods. This innovative approach enables clients to enhance operational efficiency and optimize warehouse management, significantly reducing the burden of repetitive tasks in manufacturing centers.

Afero

Series A in 2016
Afero, Inc. offers an Internet of Things Platform-as-a-Service solution aimed at facilitating the development and deployment of connected devices across various industries. Founded in 2014 and based in Los Altos, California, Afero's platform features a secure Bluetooth Smart module, cloud services, mobile applications, and a variety of development tools. This comprehensive architecture allows companies and developers to efficiently prototype and build connected devices, which can be integrated into consumer electronics, appliances, industrial equipment, wearables, medical devices, and more. Afero's technology not only accelerates time-to-market for new products but also simplifies ongoing operations, enabling businesses to gather analytics and manage IoT devices securely and at scale.

Boxee

Series C in 2011
Boxee is a media player software platform that combines locally stored personal media with internet streaming content and social networking features. The platform allows users to share their viewing habits with friends and other Boxee users on various social networks. It is partially open-source, enabling users to develop their own applications, plug-ins, and skins. The foundation of Boxee is derived from the Xbox Media Center project, originally created by home theater PC enthusiasts. In addition to software, Boxee has also developed an electronic device that connects smartphones to televisions, allowing users to discover and watch shows and movies from the internet directly on their TVs. This integration of personal media, streaming services, and social interaction positions Boxee as a versatile solution for media consumption.

Alchip Technologies

Venture Round in 2010
Alchip Technologies, Limited is a company that specializes in silicon design and manufacturing solutions, particularly for application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC) and system-on-chip (SoC) designs. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, Alchip offers a range of services including SoC design, production, intellectual property solutions, and multi-project wafer services. Its products are utilized in various applications such as networking, storage, computing devices, HDTVs, mobile phones, digital cameras, entertainment systems, and medical equipment. The company operates globally, with significant revenue generated from the United States, and maintains a commitment to delivering high-quality, reliable services that meet the complex demands of its clients, ensuring timely production and successful product launches.

Danger

Series E in 2006
Danger was a technology company that specialized in providing software and hardware solutions, particularly known for powering T-Mobile's Sidekick phone. This device was geared towards younger users and was notable for its robust messaging capabilities, handling over 4,000 messages and 400 pageviews per user each month at its peak. In 2008, Microsoft acquired Danger, but the company faced significant challenges, including a major server issue in 2009 that resulted in data loss for users. By May 2011, the cloud data service for Danger-powered Sidekick devices was discontinued, marking the end of an era for the product. Throughout its operations, Danger offered integrated solutions that enabled mobile operators to deliver data and internet services effectively to their subscribers.

Alchip Technologies

Series C in 2004
Alchip Technologies, Limited is a company that specializes in silicon design and manufacturing solutions, particularly for application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC) and system-on-chip (SoC) designs. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, Alchip offers a range of services including SoC design, production, intellectual property solutions, and multi-project wafer services. Its products are utilized in various applications such as networking, storage, computing devices, HDTVs, mobile phones, digital cameras, entertainment systems, and medical equipment. The company operates globally, with significant revenue generated from the United States, and maintains a commitment to delivering high-quality, reliable services that meet the complex demands of its clients, ensuring timely production and successful product launches.

Danger

Series D in 2004
Danger was a technology company that specialized in providing software and hardware solutions, particularly known for powering T-Mobile's Sidekick phone. This device was geared towards younger users and was notable for its robust messaging capabilities, handling over 4,000 messages and 400 pageviews per user each month at its peak. In 2008, Microsoft acquired Danger, but the company faced significant challenges, including a major server issue in 2009 that resulted in data loss for users. By May 2011, the cloud data service for Danger-powered Sidekick devices was discontinued, marking the end of an era for the product. Throughout its operations, Danger offered integrated solutions that enabled mobile operators to deliver data and internet services effectively to their subscribers.

Danger

Series D in 2003
Danger was a technology company that specialized in providing software and hardware solutions, particularly known for powering T-Mobile's Sidekick phone. This device was geared towards younger users and was notable for its robust messaging capabilities, handling over 4,000 messages and 400 pageviews per user each month at its peak. In 2008, Microsoft acquired Danger, but the company faced significant challenges, including a major server issue in 2009 that resulted in data loss for users. By May 2011, the cloud data service for Danger-powered Sidekick devices was discontinued, marking the end of an era for the product. Throughout its operations, Danger offered integrated solutions that enabled mobile operators to deliver data and internet services effectively to their subscribers.

Asita Technologies

Series B in 2001
Asita Technologies, Inc. provides high-speed Virtual Private Networking (VPN) solutions that integrate a high-performance VPN, firewalling, networking, policy routing, load balancing and a network management system into a single network device. The asita LineSpeed product range features hardware based encryption that ensures true wire speak performance and delivers the highest level of security for international standards (IPSec using 3DES-CBC mode). The asita LineSpeed is scalable and flexible while being easy to configure and manage.
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