Uber’s self-driving unit gets $1B investment from SoftBank

#1

Post by henryw » Fri, Apr 19, 2019, 4:19 AM UTC

Uber’s self-driving unit gets $1B investment from SoftBank
theverge.com

Re: Uber’s self-driving unit gets $1B investment from SoftBank

#2

Post by tyingq » Fri, Apr 19, 2019, 4:54 AM UTC

Oof. I'm no expert, but: https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/S...

Re: Uber’s self-driving unit gets $1B investment from SoftBank

#3

Post by Judgmentality » Fri, Apr 19, 2019, 5:11 AM UTC

Is Softbank just going to invest in every self-driving startup? That seems like a really weird investment strategy.

Re: Uber’s self-driving unit gets $1B investment from SoftBank

#4

Post by jhundal » Fri, Apr 19, 2019, 5:15 AM UTC

Judgmentality wrote: post #3

Is Softbank just going to invest in every self-driving startup? That seems like a really weird investment strategy.

At least one guess is that this helps Softbank increase the value of its other investments in Uber: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-03-14/don-t-...

Re: Uber’s self-driving unit gets $1B investment from SoftBank

#5

Post by conroydave » Fri, Apr 19, 2019, 5:16 AM UTC

Softbank is EVERYWHERE

Re: Uber’s self-driving unit gets $1B investment from SoftBank

#6

Post by thraway32131 » Fri, Apr 19, 2019, 5:25 AM UTC

Does anyone know what's happening at Toyota ? They Gil Pratt (from DARPA/CMU?) leading TRI in SV, Boston (and now apparently in Tokyo). They have a TTI in Nagoya, have $100 M in PFN, and have an in-house autonomous driving effort. ...

Yet, they invest $500+660m (with Denso) in what is empirically proven to be a reckless team in Pittsburgh.

Re: Uber’s self-driving unit gets $1B investment from SoftBank

#7

Post by Hydraulix989 » Fri, Apr 19, 2019, 5:50 AM UTC

Judgmentality wrote: post #3

Is Softbank just going to invest in every self-driving startup? That seems like a really weird investment strategy.

VCs invest in competitors all of the time in order to hedge risk. It only takes one to 10x and make it worthwhile.

Re: Uber’s self-driving unit gets $1B investment from SoftBank

#8

Post by 1123581321 » Fri, Apr 19, 2019, 5:53 AM UTC

Judgmentality wrote: post #3

Is Softbank just going to invest in every self-driving startup? That seems like a really weird investment strategy.

SoftBank has used competing rideshare investments to increase valuations by convincing its portfolio companies to stop costly fighting. Perhaps they expect to have a similar need once self-driving companies are also competing for rides.

Re: Uber’s self-driving unit gets $1B investment from SoftBank

#9

Post by machinelearning » Fri, Apr 19, 2019, 6:08 AM UTC

Judgmentality wrote: post #3

Is Softbank just going to invest in every self-driving startup? That seems like a really weird investment strategy.

Nah, its probably a consolidation strategy

Re: Uber’s self-driving unit gets $1B investment from SoftBank

#10

Post by anbop » Fri, Apr 19, 2019, 6:43 AM UTC

Judgmentality wrote: post #3

Is Softbank just going to invest in every self-driving startup? That seems like a really weird investment strategy.

It's not any weirder than buying an index fund.