SoftBank has backed some of the most game-changing startups of our time — Uber, Grab, TikTok — companies that reshaped how we move, eat, and connect.
The man behind it is Masayoshi Son — a founder unlike any other. Bold, fearless, and sometimes reckless, Masa didn’t just invest in companies, he devoured them. His empire stretched from Tokyo to Silicon Valley, built on billion-dollar bets, wild risk-taking, and the unshakeable belief that he could see the future before anyone else.
But every empire comes at a price.
This is the story of SoftBank — how one man from Japan took on the world’s biggest tech giants, gambled billions, lost it all… and came back for more.
Episode 1: Impress, Charm and Deceive
A young Masayoshi Son hustles his way through Silicon Valley — using every trick in the book...and outside it.
Episode 2: The SoftBank Miracle
Back in Japan, Masa builds SoftBank from nothing — surviving betrayal, bankruptcy, and even a terminal illness to become the king of Japan’s software industry.
Episode 3: Every Piece of Them
Masa goes global — buying tech magazines, trade fairs, Yahoo shares, and placing a life-changing bet on a then-unknown Chinese startup: Alibaba.
Episode 4: Widening the Net
After the Dot-Com Crash wipes out 96% of his wealth, Masa bets everything on broadband and mobile — taking on Japan’s telecom giants and winning control of Vodafone Japan.
Episode 5: Warchest
Determined to rule the future, Masa creates the $100 billion Vision Fund — a war chest so powerful it could turn founders into billionaires overnight — even if their companies were never built to last — all while setting his sights on Artificial Intelligence.
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If you love the style of Empires, and want similar content, check out:
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