SoftBank Investment Advisers

SoftBank Investment Advisers is a venture capital firm established in 2017 and headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It operates as a subsidiary of SoftBank Group Corp. and specializes in growth capital and late-stage investments predominantly within the technology sector. The firm focuses on a diverse array of industries, including internet-of-things, artificial intelligence, robotics, telecommunications, computational biology, fintech, and digital financial services. With a preference for global investments, particularly in the United States, SoftBank Investment Advisers typically commits a minimum of $100 million to both minority and majority stakes in private and public companies. The firm is known for offering operational expertise and leveraging a vast global network, aiming to support innovative companies that have the potential to revolutionize their respective fields. It maintains additional offices in key locations such as Tokyo, San Francisco, and Singapore.

Karim Abouzahr

Director, SoftBank Europe Ventures

Lee Bocker

COO

John Cassidy

Investment Director, Life Sciences and HealthTech

Tom Cheung

Partner, Americas

Rodrigo Costa

Partner

Serena Dayal

Investment Director

Angela Du

Investor

Colin Fan

Managing Partner, Americas, Asia

Ted Fike

Director, Americas

Ronald Fisher

Executive Vice Chairman

Eric Gan

Executive Vice President

Navneet Govil

Managing Partner, CFO

Ayush Jain

Investment Vice President

Lydia Jett

Partner

Sumer Juneja

Partner and Head of India

Robert Kaplan

Investment Director

Hiroaki Kitano

SVP

Anna Lo

Director, Americas

Amit Lubovsky

Director, Americas

Jimi Macdonald

Director

Ken Miyauchi

Representative Director and Senior Executive Vice President

Greg Moon

Managing Partner, Asia

Akshay Naheta

Partner, EMEA

Karol Niewiadomski

Partner

Shu Nyatta

Managing Partner

Max Ohrstrand

Partner, EMEA

Vikas Parekh

Partner

Yanni Pipilis

Managing Partner

Narendra Rathi

Director, Asia

Saleh Romeih

Managing Partner, Investment Committee Member, SBIA, EMEA

David Thevenon

Partner

Ram Trichur

Partner

Ervin Tu

Partner, Americas

Munish Varma

Partner, EMEA, Asia

Aaron Wong

Vice President

Andrew Zloto

Investment Director

Tim Yap

Director, EMEA

Vishal Gupta

Director

Past deals in Messaging

Zhichi Technologies

Series D in 2022
Zhichi Technologies is a prominent intelligent customer experience provider based in Southeast Asia, specializing in a diverse range of solutions including AI chatbots, live chat, call center services, and ticketing systems. Since its inception in 2014, the company has supported over 5,000 brands and enterprises, facilitating millions of interactions across various channels such as online chat, social media, business messaging, and voice calls. Zhichi Technologies is dedicated to delivering a reliable and user-friendly platform that enhances communication between global enterprises and their customers. Additionally, the company has been designated as a Meta authorized business service provider, allowing it to assist enterprises in managing business accounts and executing marketing campaigns, notifications, and other communications efficiently.

Meesho

Series F in 2021
Meesho operates as an online reselling platform that enables anyone to start a business without investment. Meesho connects manufacturers, wholesalers, and suppliers with resellers who use social media platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook to sell products to their network of friends and family. The company was founded in 2015 by Vidit Aatrey and Sanjeev Barnwa and is headquartered in Bangalore, Karnataka.

Picsart

Series C in 2021
PicsArt, Inc. is a leading digital creation platform that specializes in photo and video editing applications. Its flagship app provides a comprehensive set of tools for users to edit photos, create collages, and produce animated GIFs, catering to both casual users and professional content creators. The platform includes customizable features such as filters, text options, and a community aspect that encourages collaboration among users. Additionally, PicsArt offers a drawing and coloring app for children, as well as a messaging system that allows users to share and collectively edit images. The company is headquartered in Miami, with additional offices globally, and has established a significant presence in the digital content space, supported by various notable investors. Founded in 2010, PicsArt has evolved into a platform that serves a diverse user base, from individuals to businesses, by providing advanced design capabilities through its mobile and web applications.

IRL

Series C in 2021
IRL is a social messaging application founded in 2019 and based in San Francisco, California. The platform facilitates event discovery and planning by allowing users to follow friends, join interest-based groups, and engage in conversations. Users can create groups centered around specific interests, enabling them to connect with like-minded individuals and strengthen existing friendships. The app simplifies event planning by allowing users to create and invite their groups to events, manage social calendars, and sync with friends. Additionally, the platform integrates local public events and allows users to follow sports teams, musicians, and venues. Features such as group chats, polls, and GIF sharing enhance user interaction, making it easier for individuals to organize and participate in social activities in real life.

Sinch

Post in 2021
Sinch is a cloud communications company that facilitates connections between businesses and customers through various engagement tools, including mobile messaging, voice, and video services. Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Sinch operates in over 30 countries and serves as a software provider for mobile operators. The company's platform is designed to support enterprise-level communications, integrating programmable APIs and cloud services that enable businesses to incorporate messaging, voice, and video capabilities into their applications and processes. The primary revenue for Sinch comes from its Messaging segment, which includes fees for managing messages and delivering personalized video and multimedia messages for enterprises.

ADA

Corporate Round in 2021
ADA is end-to-end commerce excellence, from marketing and content optimization to store operations offers comprehensive messaging solutions and extensive integration knowledge.

Meesho

Series E in 2021
Meesho operates as an online reselling platform that enables anyone to start a business without investment. Meesho connects manufacturers, wholesalers, and suppliers with resellers who use social media platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook to sell products to their network of friends and family. The company was founded in 2015 by Vidit Aatrey and Sanjeev Barnwa and is headquartered in Bangalore, Karnataka.

Sinch

Post in 2020
Sinch is a cloud communications company that facilitates connections between businesses and customers through various engagement tools, including mobile messaging, voice, and video services. Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Sinch operates in over 30 countries and serves as a software provider for mobile operators. The company's platform is designed to support enterprise-level communications, integrating programmable APIs and cloud services that enable businesses to incorporate messaging, voice, and video capabilities into their applications and processes. The primary revenue for Sinch comes from its Messaging segment, which includes fees for managing messages and delivering personalized video and multimedia messages for enterprises.

Slack

Series H in 2018
Slack Technologies, Inc. operates a cloud-based communication and collaboration platform designed to enhance organizational communication. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, Slack enables users to exchange messages, share files, and integrate with a variety of business tools and services. The platform is utilized by teams across multiple industries, from startups to large enterprises, promoting increased efficiency and productivity. Slack's offerings are provided under a software-as-a-service model, and the company also manages the Slack Fund, which invests in teams developing innovative products aimed at improving workplace productivity.

hi

Corporate Round in 2018
hi is a cross-ecosystem financial services and travel technology platform that operates in over 82 countries. It utilizes popular social media messengers, such as WhatsApp and Telegram, to deliver its services. The company integrates inspirational content, travel booking tools, hotels, destination services, and data intelligence to streamline the travel experience. By connecting these elements, hi facilitates easier exploration for travelers and enhances personalized guest experiences for hotels. Additionally, the company's branded smart products are increasingly present in hotel rooms worldwide, contributing to its growth and innovation in the travel sector.

Snow Corporation

Series A in 2018
Snow is the developer and operator of the selfie pic and video app SNOW, featuring face recognition-enabled stickers and GIF-enabled chat functionality. With SNOW, users pick from over 700 stickers and 30 types of filters to liven up their photos and videos, then send the finished product to their friends or post them within the SNOW app to give their friends a peek into what they are up to now. User numbers have been growing steadily since the app first launched in Korea, with service being expanded to Japan and China in November 2015 and February 2016, respectively. In Japan, the number of users has been growing rapidly, and the app has been ranked as No.1 in both iOS App Store’s free app Photo & Video category and Google Play’s Photography category.

Mirror Emoji Keyboard

Seed Round in 2017
Mirror uses a single selfie to instantly create hundreds of emoji that look like you and your friends. You can then use these in all messengers.

Slack

Series G in 2017
Slack Technologies, Inc. operates a cloud-based communication and collaboration platform designed to enhance organizational communication. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, Slack enables users to exchange messages, share files, and integrate with a variety of business tools and services. The platform is utilized by teams across multiple industries, from startups to large enterprises, promoting increased efficiency and productivity. Slack's offerings are provided under a software-as-a-service model, and the company also manages the Slack Fund, which invests in teams developing innovative products aimed at improving workplace productivity.

Hike

Series D in 2016
Hike is a blockchain gaming company that aims to merge the best aspects of Web2 and Web3, focusing on creating new economic opportunities within the gaming industry. Central to its vision is the Rush Gaming Universe (RGU), a social gaming experience that allows players to engage in gameplay while earning rewards. In addition to gaming, Hike has developed a multilingual messaging application that facilitates virtual connections among users, enabling them to share thoughts and emotions through stickers and emojis. This dual focus on gaming and communication positions Hike as a forward-thinking entity in the evolving landscape of digital interaction and entertainment.

Quixey

Series C in 2015
Quixey, Inc. is a mobile technology company based in Mountain View, California, with additional offices in Beijing, Bengaluru, and Tel Aviv. Founded in 2009, Quixey offers a platform that enhances user access and engagement with applications through its innovative Deep View Cards. This solution enables users to connect directly with application functionalities, such as booking hotels or ordering rides, without the need for registration. By employing advanced content acquisition and application mining techniques, Quixey delivers relevant app content and functionalities across various channels, including ads, search, and social and messaging platforms. This approach not only improves the search experience but also allows users to perform actions efficiently, thereby saving time and enhancing overall usability.
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