December 9, 1996 6:35 PM ET

Softbank buys into anti-virus software developer
By Margaret Kane

Softbank Corp. has purchased 35 percent of anti-virus company Trend Micro Inc. for an undisclosed amount. Trend Micro is a privately held company based in Tokyo with offices in Cupertino, Calif. The company, which develops server-based anti-virus software, has recently signed licensing deals with Netscape Communications Corp. and Sun Microsystems Inc. Trend Micro's technology is also included in Intel Corp.'s LANDesk Virus Protect software. Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son said the investment was part of his company's strategy to "own and influence key parts of the Internet infrastructure." Ziff-Davis Publishing, which publishes PC Week, is a Softbank company. Copyright(c) 1996 Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Ziff-Davis Publishing Company is prohibited. PC Week and the PC Week logo are trademarks of Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. PC Week Online and the PC Week Online logo are trademarks of Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. Send mail to PC Week