SoftBank’s vibe shift is using silence loudly
Welcome back to Equity, the podcast about the business of startups, where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines. It’s February, and that means two things: you can stop wishing people happy new year, and “Succession” is officially back next month. As always, you can find me on Instagram or Twitter when I’m not on the mic.
Here’s what I got into:
- Big tech: SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son will be skipping the Japanese conglomerates’ earnings call, reports the Economic Times. We knew the flashy presentations were going away, but the silence may signal just how seriously SoftBank wants to shift its external perception. Speaking of perception, there’s nothing quite like a delisting warning to get people talking about you. I talk about Getaround’s less than $1 trend, and why it may be off the public markets if it doesn’t get its act together in the next six months.
- Big idea: It’s time to gamify benefits, and then think about wellness in more than just silo’d ways. At least that’s how I imagine Minu’s founding story to have played out — the startup is an HR tech meets edtech meets fintech meets health tech tool. Interesting stuff.
- Big innovation: The serial entrepreneur spree, in which notorious founders return to the early-stage stomping grounds with fresher ideas, is a tried and true part of the tech world. Still, it surprises me to see just how many recent examples we have. I talk about Instacart CEO Apoorva Mehta’s new health tech company, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek’s new health tech company, as well, and the return of co-founders from Instagram and Zenly making their way back into the social consumer space. I end with a nod at my latest Startups Weekly column, which looks at the data behind startup offices.
Ok, that’s all. Let’s have a good time this week. And by that I mean, tell me all your secrets!
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