Why on Earth is SoftBank investing in WeWork?

Published October 23, 2019 6:20am ET



Here’s a question: If you have a laptop, a desk, a cellphone, and access to internet, water, and coffee, why would you spend hundreds of dollars a month to access those same things in another location? Especially if you’re setting up a fledgling new business and capital is tight!

I ask this question in light of SoftBank Corporation’s looming bailout for WeWork. As the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, that bailout is expected to put $1.7 billion in the hands of founder Adam Neumann in return for him taking a back seat to the Japanese firm. SoftBank will also put in sufficient funding to keep WeWork’s head above water. At least for now. But I’m struggling to understand why SoftBank is putting even more money into WeWork (it has previously invested).

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