SoftBank to Spin Off Telecom Unit in $21 Billion IPO
*By Carlo Versano*
SoftBank Group, the Japanese multinational conglomerate with stakes in some of the hottest U.S. tech start-ups, is planning a massive IPO for its telecom arm that could become Japan's largest public offering to date, [Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-11-12/softbank-unveils-21-billion-ipo-of-mobile-business?srnd=premium) reported Monday.
SoftBank Founder Masayoshi Son is reportedly seeking $21 billion for the new entity that will be called SoftBank Corp. and begin trading Dec. 19. Citing the prospectus, Bloomberg said the company will offer 1.6 billion shares at 1,500 yen a piece, or roughly $13. That figure could change as the range of the offering is set.
Son has used his $100 billion Vision Fund to transform SoftBank into a holding company with stakes in some of the world's most valuable technology companies, including Uber, WeWork, and Alibaba ($BABA). Softbank's telecom and mobile operation has long been the company's bread and butter, and spinning it off will give Son room to further position himself as a tech kingmaker.
Rising oil prices tied to the Iran conflict are driving up gas and airfare costs, creating new challenges for travelers heading into the spring break season.
The Supreme Court strikes down Trump-era tariffs, limiting presidential trade powers and raising questions about refunds, global trade, and business impact.
New research from GoDaddy and UCLA shows small businesses signal shifts in GDP, jobs, and digital growth earlier than traditional data or Wall Street trends.
GoFundMe launches Back in Business Fund with Paris Hilton to provide targeted grants helping women entrepreneurs recover and rebuild after natural disasters.
Samsung launches its “AI in Action Lab” in NYC, giving public high school students hands-on AI experience and tools to prepare for real world innovations.
Gen Z workers are increasingly worried AI could replace their jobs. However, experts say companies are using AI more to assist workers than replace them.
Matt Schultz of CleanSpark discusses Bitcoin mining and AI infrastructure converge, energy demand dynamics, and the company’s position in the evolving market.
Bhavin Shah of ServiceNow discusses how the new Autonomous Workforce AI automates tasks, integrates with Teams and Slack, and boosts workplace efficiency.
