Asia & Middle East

Europe

Latin America

Consumer

Enterprise

Fintech

Health Tech

A & earlier

B & C rounds

D & E rounds

Public or later stage

Layoffs & Hiring

CHRO survey: What employees want is changing

This exclusive survey sheds light on the current state of hiring, workforce management, areas of focus & top challenges CHROs face in Q1 2024.

Q1 2024 CHRO Survey: Workforce Management Insights

Q1 2024 CHRO Survey: Workforce Management Insights | SoftBank Vision Fund

CHROs - Q1 2024

Percentage of the workforce that was let go

Fundraising & capital markets

CFOs are cautiously optimistic about sidestepping a recession

Each quarter, we survey leaders from our portfolio companies on pressing issues. Find out if CFOs predict a recession or soft landing in 2023.

CFO Survey: Recession or Soft Landing in 2023?

CFO Survey: Recession or Soft Landing in 2023? | SoftBank Vision Fund

CFOs - Q2 2023

CFOs’ predictions for the economy in their country/region over the next year

Frontier Tech

Logistics

Outlook & priorities

Amid rising optimism, CEOs eye growth capital

The Q4 2023 CEO survey sheds light on business leaders’ general insights on 2023 and predictions for what the industry will look like in 2024 with AI, the economy, and more.

Q4 2023 CEO Survey: Thoughts on 2023 & Predictions for 2024 | Sōzō Pulse | SoftBank

Q4 2023 CEO Survey: Thoughts on 2023 & Predictions for 2024 | Sōzō Pulse | SoftBank | SoftBank Vision Fund

CEOs - Q4 2023

Plan to raise capital in the next twelve months

Inflation & the economy

CEOs tackle economic challenges and look ahead

Explore the full results of our CEO survey. See what economic challenges CEOs are tackling and benchmark your company.

Sozo Pulse: A Quarterly CEO Survey via Interactive Data

Sozo Pulse: A Quarterly CEO Survey via Interactive Data | SoftBank Vision Fund

CEOs - Q4 2022

Expectations for how long high inflation will persist

Hybrid work, layoffs, hiring

Still searching for talent and grappling with hybrid work challenges

Every quarter, we survey leaders at our portfolio companies on pressing issues. Discover the results of our CHRO Survey on hybrid work challenges.

CHRO Survey: Hybrid Work Challenges and Searching for Talent

CHRO Survey: Hybrid Work Challenges and Searching for Talent | SoftBank Vision Fund

CHROs - Q1 2023

Work modality in 2023

Marketing during a downturn

CMOs weigh top priorities, larger budgets

In 2022, we conducted a CMO survey on top spending priorities amid growing marketing budgets, the structure of their teams, and more. See the results.

CMO Survey: Spending priorities and team structure in 2022

CMO Survey: Spending priorities and team structure in 2022 | SoftBank Vision Fund

CMOs - Q3 2022

How companies adjusted those budgets since the beginning of the year

Banking concerns

Higher interest rates caused companies to change their approach to cash management by:

Culture & employee experience

Mindset of companies’ workforces

The door to IPOs will fully reopen in:

Economy and tech budgets

CTOs are exploring pathways to AI success

SoftBank surveyed tech leaders on the current state of the economy, generative AI, and engineering talent. See the notable takeaways from the Q3 2023 CTO survey.

Sōzō Pulse 2023: Q3 2023 CTO Survey on the State of the Economy, Tech, & Talent

Sōzō Pulse 2023: Q3 2023 CTO Survey on the State of the Economy, Tech, & Talent | SoftBank Vision Fund

CTOs - Q3 2023

Compared to a year ago, attracting engineering talent is:

US East

US West

Hybrid & Remote Work

Interactive data: CHROs on hybrid work, culture and more

In 2022, we surveyed CHROs of late-stage startups all over the world on hybrid work, recruiting and retention, and other issues. Here are the main statistics:

Statistics from CHROs on hybrid work, retention & more

Statistics from CHROs on hybrid work, retention & more | SoftBank Vision Fund

CHROs - Q1 2022

Impact of hybrid or remote work on costs

Issues that CEOs believe will have a major impact on their companies in 2023

Generative AI

Generative AI has improved our company by:

2023 outlook & priorities

CEOs’ plans to raise capital

Difficulty of hiring compared to a year ago

Edtech

Economic Outlook

Amid growing optimism, CFOs are stepping up investment and eyeing growth

Every quarter, we survey business leaders on pressing issues like AI & the economy. Explore the results in detail with our interactive data experience.

CFOs Surveyed on the Economy & Business in 2024 and Beyond

CFOs Surveyed on the Economy & Business in 2024 and Beyond | SoftBank Vision Fund

CFOs - Q2 2024

CFOs’ predictions about the economy in their country over the next 12 months

Compared to a year ago, it is:

Capital Markets & AI

CFOs’ plans for using generative AI in finance to:

Benchmarking

Percentage of marketing budget that goes to outside agencies

Equity & compensation

CFOs weigh in on inflation, talent, volatility, and more

In 2022, we surveyed CFOs from startups across the world on how inflation and other market conditions affect business, hiring, and more. Here are the results:

CFO Survey: Inflation, hiring, and financing startups in 2022

CFO Survey: Inflation, hiring, and financing startups in 2022 | SoftBank Vision Fund

CFOs - Q2 2022

Do you expect equity compensation to increase more than usual in 2022?

Technology budget as a percent of revenue

Companies that allow for employee liquidity before an exit

Companies that had layoffs in the past year

Macro environment

CEO sentiment about the economy compared to one year ago

Marketing team budget as a percentage of revenue

Number of banking partners before the banking crisis

Generative AI will:

Attrition & Retention

Increase in attrition rate in recent months (tied to the Great Resignation)

Factors CFOs believe will impact their business in 2024

Companies whose growth in tech budget was driven primarily by AI investments

My strategy for using foundation models is to:

Size of engineering team as a percent of total workforce

Hybrid Work, Priorities, Challenges

Top area of focus for CHROs this year

CFOs’ sentiment about the state of the economy compared to a year ago

Drivers of increased compensation costs

CFOs’ predictions for S&P 500 change between May 2024 and May 2025

Size of engineering team in 2023 compared to 2022

Companies’ approaches to strengthening engagement and culture

Raised capital in 2023

Expected changes in hybrid work habits post-pandemic

CEO stress levels

Technology budgets in 2023 compared to 2022

The next twelve months are a time to:

Culture & Employee Experience

Company initiatives to bolster employee connection and alignment in 2022

Adjustment to business activities companies made in the past 12 months because of economic conditions

Upside/downside of hybrid work in 2024

Factors companies believe will impact their business in 2022

CEOs’ sentiment toward the economy compared with one year ago

CEO sentiment about their company’s prospects compared to a year ago

Work modality in 2024

CFOs’ plans to raise capital in the next 12 months

Expectations for in-office attendance

Companies that expect layoffs in the next nine months

Do you expect cash compensation to increase more than usual in 2022?

Companies’ positions toward hiring

CEOs see 2023 as a year to:

CEOs who said hybrid work has a negative impact on…

Business & Growth Priorities

The next 12 months is a time to:

CFOs’ priorities over the next 12 months

How companies feel about the state of the economy compared to a year ago

Hybrid work’s impact on CEO’s job

CEOs’ predictions for where the S&P 500 will be at the end of 2023 compared to the end of 2022

Upside/downside of hybrid work in 2023

When it comes to generative AI, my team is:

Expected work modality in 2023

Types of office policies companies have adopted

CFO’s expectations for when the IPO window will fully reopen

Marketing inside your organization

Does marketing have adequate support from the CEO?

Top challenge CHROs face this year

The AI revolution

The hurdles to harnessing AI’s full potential are:

Companies that say attracting talent is harder than a year ago

Adjustments companies are making due to higher compensation costs

Planned AI investment in 2024, compared to 2023

Expected timing of next fundraising round

The AI revolution has:

State of companies’ cultures

How companies adjusted business activities because of market volatility

Top areas of marketing that companies plan to spend less on

CFOs’ plans to take the company public in the next 12 months

When it comes to geopolitical instability affecting my business, the biggest concern is:

The media's sentiment toward your company is:

Difficulty of retention compared to a year ago

CTOs’ sentiment about the state of the economy compared to a year ago

Market volatility’s impact on the size of the next fundraising round

Market volatility's impact on the timing of fundraising plans

Does marketing have the talent and resources to succeed?

Managing the workforce is:

Factors companies believe will impact their business in 2023

CEOs who said hybrid work has a positive impact on…

The media's sentiment toward tech is:

CFOs’ priorities over the past 12 months

Marketing team size as a percentage of total workforce

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Sōzō Pulse

Surveying leaders at our portfolio companies on pressing issues

Companies that had layoffs in the past year

Percentage of the workforce that was let go

Companies that expect layoffs in the next nine months

Companies’ positions toward hiring

Work modality in 2024

Upside/downside of hybrid work in 2024

Top challenge CHROs face this year

Top area of focus for CHROs this year

Mindset of companies’ workforces

State of companies’ cultures

Managing the workforce is:

"Companies that don’t integrate AI into their HR operations will be left behind"

Companies that had layoffs in the past year