SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK—Japan’s SoftBank Group Corp. is in discussions to buy a majority stake in U.S. shared office space provider WeWork Cos, a source said, potentially doubling down on one of its biggest bets on a loss-making startup.
A deal would signal a shift for SoftBank, which runs the world’s biggest private equity fund and has concentrated its ownership of late-stage startups in minority stakes, as it seeks attractive targets for its huge pool of capital.
