Microsoft Said To Acquire Equivio Data Analysis Company

Microsoft isn't exactly short on cash to throw around, and it is reportedly throwing a bit of it in order to acquire a text analysis startup out of Israel. While the plans have yet to be made official, people familiar with inner talks have made clear that Equivio will soon be a part of Microsoft. The move does make sense on paper; Equivio is grounded in analyzing complex data, and Microsoft certainly needs to be an expert in that field as it aims to stake its claim in the cloud and enterprise segments.


There's still an off chance that other bidders may swoop in and snag Equivio from Microsoft's grasps, but it would take a seriously large offer to sway the accounts in Redmond. While largely unknown to consumers in North America, Equivio produces software "that uses machine learning to analyze legal documents and corporate information for use by law firms, corporations and government agencies." It has even managed to list the United States Justice Department as one of its primary clients, proving that these folks are more than just a fly-by-night startup.

Microsoft's new CEO, Satya Nadella, does indeed seem interested in focusing on Microsoft's enterprise plays, and being an expert in analyzing data would go a long way to cementing that legacy. Per usual, we expect to hear the official word in a matter of weeks, but it's unclear at this point what Microsoft will do right away to take advantage of its newly-acquired intelligence.