Disclosure: I work for AWS, but I don't work directly on AWS Private 5G.

I mean, it sounds like they / their investors were shopping and the KDDI offer of what was reported [1] to be $180 million won? Who's to say if AWS participated in that or not (I, speaking only for myself, have no knowledge on this). I don't understand at all why you think that this is anything unusual or nefarious, and it seems like the founders got a good exit regardless?

[1] https://thebridge.jp/en/2017/08/kddi-to-acquire-soracom

OK, that makes sense. That exit was not huge, would be interesting to compare price they wanted from AWS vs market price they got. AWS may have missed out if they were willing to go with AWS for less than they got.

I'm not THAT blown away by AWS offerings, they feel like copies of a couple of players offerings and at least when I last looked not THAT polished up. That said, plenty of folks will use AWS because they are already there. But it does feel like space for other still here maybe.