SoftBank invest $1.5 billion to OpenAI

OpenAI employees will be allowed to cash out their company’s share worth $1.5 billion regarding the investment agreement with SoftBank.

SoftBank, a Japanese-based multinational investment company, is financing the world’s prominent artificial intelligence (AI) enterprise OpenAI with $1.5 billion. This agreement would allow the employees will have the opportunity to profit by selling their shareholding.

Through these corporate actions, SoftBank would have a bigger stake in the company, which is something that the CEO Masayoshi Son asked for quite a long time.

OpenAI employees holding shares will have until December 24 to decide whether to participate in the cash-out option. Those who opt in are expected to receive around $210 per share, based on the latest funding valuation.

Current and previous employees could participate in the funding, but only those who had been granted restrictions and held the share for at least two years.

OpenAI, which has been considered a non-profit organization for a decade, is denied the issue that this funding is related to the newest company’s orientations, which will move to the profit-making enterprise.

SoftBank funding for emerging technologies

According to CNBC on Nov. 27, $1.5 billion in funding for OpenAI comes from SoftBank’s Vision Fund 2.

This funding was specifically used to invest in emerging technology and companies, including Nvidia, Uber, Exscientia, Glean, Perplexity, and Poolside. Through this investment, the company based in Tokyo will expand its horizon on investing in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.

SoftBank’s Vision Fund 2 (SVF2) was initiated in 2019 and collected an investment commitment of up to $56 billion. In 2021, funding was invested in more than 250 companies, and the majority of the funding is a new investment.

Now, the funding is focused on accelerating the use of artificial intelligence, market leaders, and companies with a value over $1 billion or who have named a unicorn.