Type: Public
On the web: http://www.softbank.co.jp
Employees: 21,885
Employee growth: 4.0%

SOFTBANK's investment strategy is anything but soft. Under the leadership of founder, chairman, and CEO Masayoshi Son (sometimes referred to as the Bill Gates of Japan), the company makes investments in a variety of ventures. Its portfolio holdings span mobile and fixed-line telecommunications, Internet commerce and content, technology services, marketing, broadband infrastructure, and more. The company also provides venture capital to technology-related concerns in Asia, Europe, and the US. Interests in SOFTBANK MOBILE, SOFTBANK TELECOM, and Yahoo Japan, along with a minority stake in Yahoo!, comprise the bedrock of SOFTBANK's holdings. The firm has stakes in more than 60 companies in all.

Key numbers for fiscal year ending March, 2010:
Sales: $29,795.2M
One year growth: 14.4%
Net income: $1,043.4M
Income growth: 135.1%

Officers:
Chairman, President, and CEO: Masayoshi Son
Corporate Auditor: Investment Firms

Competitors:
3i Group
ICG Group
JAFCO

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