BENGALURU: SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son on Wednesday discussed Artificial Intelligence (AI), Gen AI potentials, investments and collaborations with portfolio start-up founders. Over 10-12 founders including Paytm’s Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Flipkart CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy, Lenskart’s co-founder Peyush Bansal, Ola’s Bhavish Aggarwal and InMobi founder Naveen Tewari were present, and the meeting was focused on AI and its future, sources aware of the meeting said.
Later, he met a few founders one-on-one including Tewari and Aggarwal, among others. Sources said Tewari discussed works of InMobi and Glance in GenAI space. SoftBank made its first investment in InMobi in 2011. The consumer tech company leverages AI to drive growth and in 2019, InMobi built Glance, the AI-based software company.
In 2011, SoftBank invested $200 million and InMobi became the first start-up in the country to turn into a unicorn. Sources added Son was excited to know about Glance and it looks like in future the Japanese firm might invest in Glance, which currently counts Google and Jio Platforms as its investors.
Aggarwal also had a meeting with Son and shared the picture on X and said, “Always amazing to meet @masason.. Such an energising discussion on AI, AGI, Energy and India. We will make the future here in India together.”
Son visited India last year and SoftBank’s India portfolio consists of close to 27 start-ups including Swiggy, Ola Electric, First Cry, InMobi and Lenskart, among others. Earlier, as per reports, Son had met Reliance Industries’ Mukesh Ambani. Apart from InMobi, SoftBank’s other portfolio company OfBusiness is also targeting to go public next year.
Reports claimed Microsoft-backed OpenAI is allowing its employees to sell $1.5 billion worth of shares to SoftBank.
The Japanese investor, posted $7.7 billion profit in September quarter, has been betting big on AI and investments in India. It has invested about $15 billion in Indian firms. Sources said he spoke about India’s opportunity in chip design and also made collaboration commitments and that the firm might invest more in the country.
