Day2: Masayoshi Son

The reason : The disruptor of information technology and further

I don’t know how much Son is known in the U.S. But, I believe he is one of most important person in the information technology like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. He is a CEO of the Softbank (TSE:9984). As you might know, the Softbank bought sprint last year. And the sprint was looking to buy T-mobile, however they were not allowed to buy. If that happened, the Sprint (NYSE) and T-Mobile (NYSE) could be the third competitive party on the mobile market the U.S. against Verizon (NYSE) and AT&T (NYSE).  You think Japanese are good at only car, don’t you? Japanese is coming also on the mobile market in the U.S.!! However, what I learned from him is not only about the recent mobile market.  He always reminds me I should not look around with my level where I am now. I should aim high wherever I am now, I can find always harder way and higher way to be great.

Japan is the biggest robotic market in the world in 2012. Japan especially is good at industry robot. However, in 21th century, Japan is going to go no industry robot. The Softbank was basically company for information technology, but it is going to get into the robotics. As shown in the video, the Softbank started to sell this walking and talking robot which is supposed to be used in house. It will be sold in 2015 just for around $2000 like buying a laptop computer. It will be constantly upgraded to improve the A.I. technology because it is wired with Wifi technology. I am suspicious for A.I. technology now because Dr. Howkins is against it, but still, this should be very interesting innovation. Since the population of Japan is decreasing and also aging, Japanese are trying to rise up their productivity per person by introducing robots. Once almost all people in Japan have robot at home and that might happen within 5 years, the robotics in Japan will have disruptive innovation for robotics, education, services and information technology in Japan. Japanese and Softbank will help the other aging countries all over the world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwMJCAZUyGc

And also you might know that recent biggest IPO in the NYSE by Alibaba group. The Son has 34.4 percent holding in Alibaba valued at more than $50 billion after the initial public offering. Jack Ma was invested around 2000, Ma said to Son “Just, $1 million or $2million is fine for startup” but Son said that “Take $20 million, you won’t regret by how much you have money” So, it turned out $50 billion in 2014. Some says that he is like Warren Buffet in Asia. But the different is that he does know technology, so more like between Bill Gate and Warren Buffet.

The Softbank recorded ¥1.09 trillion (= $10 billion) operating profit 2013/2014 fiscal year, up 36 percent from previous fiscal year. There are only 3 companies (Toyota Motor Corp (TSE:7203) and NTT DoCoMo (TSE:9437)) earn more than ¥1 trillion of operating profits in that term. But, he is aiming at world No.1 in the future base on market capitalization. When the Softbank won Toyota and then becomes No.1 in Japan, something might happen. Yes, there is possibility for that. Son started the Softbank as a distributor of packaged software in 1981. Not like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, or Warren Buffet, he is still active and working hardest at company with great ambition.