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3. Creating New Business
through Open Innovation- Creating New Value through the New Businesses of Overseas SoftBank Corp. Group Companies -

Develop cutting-edge technologies and innovative business models
by leveraging our relationships with global leading innovative companies.
Concurrently, promote the development of a highly-skilled workforce and the establishment of an organization
that supports the expansion and penetration of new businesses.

Sustainable development goals

3 GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 4 QUALITY EDUCATION 8 DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH 9 INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE 11 SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES 17 PERTNERSHIPS FOR THE GOALS
Risks
  • Loss of business opportunities due to delay business development resulting from shortages of required human resources and knowledge
  • Inability to recoup invested funds or impairment losses due to failure to achieve expected results
  • Increase of research and development costs for homegrown Large Language Models (LLMs) and delays in monetization
Opportunities
  • Acquisition of human resources and knowledge through collaboration with diverse partners, and swift gaining of market share through speedy business development
  • Advancement and deepening of innovation through co-creation and expansion of the scale of businesses and markets in which the Group participates
  • Expansion of new solutions business utilizing homegrown Large Language Models (LLMs)

Value creation

(1)Building a foundation to support business transformation through AI

Target vision Establishing a foundation for a society coexisting with AI
Building a foundation to support business transformation through AI Building a foundation to support business transformation through AI

As a leading company in the field of AI, we are working to build a foundation for creating new value toward a future society where humans and AI coexist.

Main businesses

  • Research, development, and promotion in the field of AI (such as homegrown LLM*1, AI data centers)
  • Promotion of AI governance
FY2024
KPIs Results
Construction of a homegrown LLM*1 with 390 billion parameters Construction of a homegrown LLM*1 with 460 billion parameters
Promotion of AI governance
  • AI ethics committee: conducted 4 meetings
  • Group governance: ethics policy applied to 75 companies, risk assessments carried out for 87 companies
  • Internal training: held 3 training sessions/study meetings, sent out 34 newsletters
FY2025
KPIs
Commercial deployment of homegrown LLMs*1Update
Promotion of AI governance

[Note]

  • *1

    Large Language Model

(2)Development of next-generation business initiatives
through cutting-edge technologies and business collaborations

Target vision Promoting diverse business initiatives that enrich society
Development of next-generation business initiatives through cutting-edge technologies and business collaborations Development of next-generation business initiatives through cutting-edge technologies and business collaborations

We will create new businesses leveraging cutting-edge technologies together with partners both domestically and internationally.

Main business

  • Business development through domestic and international partnerships
  • Promotion of NTN (HAPS/OneWeb/Starlink) / research and development of new technologies (next-generation batteries)
FY2024
KPIs Results
Pursuing initiatives to realize the NTN concept (FY2027) Initiatives aimed at realizing commercialization:
  • Successfully conducted a demonstration experiment of null-forming technology to enable frequency sharing with ground base stations
  • Successfully developed technology to achieve high energy density in all-solid-state batteries
  • Developed a lifespan prediction model for high energy density metal lithium batteries
  • Began providing high-quality satellite communication services for municipalities
  • Successfully conducted stratospheric flight in a demonstration experiment with the HAPS large aircraft “Sunglider”
  • Successfully conducted an outdoor demonstration experiment of the “Inter-System Interference Canceler”
Strategic partnerships and business investments in new business areas 6 businesses
FY2025
KPIs
Pursuing initiatives to realize the NTN concept (FY2027)
Strategic partnerships and business investments in new business areas

Related link

Stable Telecommunication for All People and Things HAPS
Stable Telecommunication for All People and Things HAPS

(3)Build systems to recruit and develop human resources
to lead growth and create new businesses

Build systems to recruit and develop human resources to lead growth and create new businesses Build systems to recruit and develop human resources to lead growth and create new businesses

We hire personnel who have advanced professional skills and build an organization that become key drivers of new business creation in response to next-generation needs.

Main businesses

  • Job posting system to shift human resources to new and growing businesses
  • Allocate personnel to new businesses through improvements in operational efficiency
  • Human resource recruitment, development, systems*1 and compensation necessary to create and promote new businesses
  • Cutting-edge R&D
FY2024
KPI Result
Promote SoftBank InnoVenture commercialization Considered commercialization: 2 projects (354 applications)
FY2025
KPI
Promote SoftBank InnoVenture commercialization

Related link

[Notes]

  • *1

    SoftBank Academia, SoftBank InnoVenture, SoftBank University, Generative AI Utilization Contest

  • *

    Unless otherwise specified, the KPI metrics and targets, as well as results, are for SoftBank Corp. on a standalone basis.

  • *

    “Main businesses” include initiatives by SoftBank Corp. and group companies.

Six material Issues