The world of mega-mergers and acquisitions are rarely the subject of The Big Deal analysis but Softbank, Japan’s third-largest mobile-phone company’s, plans to make a “substantial” investment in US-based peer Sprint carries a corporate venturing twist.
Part of the potential deal reported by news agencies involves Softbank helping Sprint buy full control of Clearwire, a wholesale US wireless carrier that’s already 48% owned by Sprint.
Clearwire is a totemic deal for corporate venturing as it represents the largest investment by…