Shō Unkai was no rookie. Two lifetimes had taught him exactly what worried Yanagi Gōtō.
"President Yanagi, you fear losing control of Kyōdō, correct? Rest easy. I invest because I believe in the company's growth, not because I want to run it."
He smiled. "Let's sign a supplemental agreement. As long as Kyōdō's Series C is funded solely by Oasis, every share Oasis holds will always vote with you in the boardroom."
Gōtō's eyes lit up. That was the very reassurance he needed—founders pushed out by capital were a dime a dozen, and even Steve Jobs once got booted from Apple.
"Are you serious, President Shō?"
"Completely. We can put it in black and white."
Shō truly had no interest in day-to-day management; he only wanted the multi-fold return.
Gōtō offered his hand. "Thank you for trusting me and Kyōdō. We welcome your investment."
Two hundred million dollars for thirty-two percent, with voting rights assigned away—where could he find a better backer?
Shō laughed. "If you ever need more cash, Oasis is your first stop."
The numbers were beautiful. Two hundred million now bought 43.96 percent of Kyōdō. Even after later dilution he would still hold roughly twenty percent at listing—worth five to six billion. Hold until 2020 and that stake could top two hundred billion.
Only the internet sector produced returns like that.
Contracts were drafted at once. Kyōdō had already planned a raise; Shō merely cut in early. No board meeting, just two major shareholders shaking hands. Other investors might grumble in the dark, but once the wire hit there was nothing to say, especially since thirty-two percent at six-plus-hundred-million valuation was a premium price.
After signing, Shō chatted politely, then left the follow-up to his professionals.
Back in the Mercedes, he told Ri Yō, "Push on the Twitter round. Tell them Oasis is in."
He had invested before the financial crisis; Twitter wasn't Kyōdō-level, but low input for high return was still worth it.
Twitter reminded him of Weibo. The "Thread"—true name Weibo—had cloned Twitter, yet morphed into a gossip-soaked, news-heavy dumpster of negativity. For Shō that made it perfect.
Once back in Xinhan he planned to supercharge tourism. The kingdom owned more than a thousand islands: white beaches, crystal seas. Leaving them idle was a crime. Siam earned twenty percent of GDP from visitors; Phuket and Bali each raked in billions.
Dragon Kingdom's booming economy meant outbound travel was growing fashionable. Xinhan sat on northern Borneo, close to Dragon Kingdom and blessed with islands far prettier than Phuket or Bali—only undeveloped.
Infrastructure could be bought with money. Promotion required a megaphone, and in the coming years Weibo would be Dragon Kingdom's biggest traffic hub. Become a shareholder, pay influencers to write travelogues, buy hot-search slots—the tourists would pour in.
So Weibo was a must. Travel platforms like Ctrip and Mafengwo, even food-delivery giant Ele.me, should also sit in his portfolio.
"Driver, head to Shinwave."
He turned to Ri Yō. "Have we invested in Ctrip or Mafengwo?"
"Ctrip, no—but the Royal Investment Bureau has a stake. Mafengwo, none," Ri Yō replied.
"Once I'm gone, watch Mafengwo and Ele.me. Any deal under five million dollars—decide yourself. Cast a wide net."
The mobile-internet boom was about to explode. Early funding of startups meant rich returns he could pour into Xinhan's growth.
Why not build the platforms himself? Time, market size, regulation. Xinhan's thirteen-million souls were too few, and data laws made cross-border services tricky. Without a giant home market and military muscle, true global internet dreams were fantasies.
Games were another story, but that was for later.
Author's Note:New book launch—please, feed me stats! Your support keeps me writing 🙂
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