Cognizant Expands IoT Capabilities With Mobica Acquisition

The purchase, slated to close in February, will add additional software engineering capabilities around IoT, embedded software, security, and AI and machine learning while beefing up Cognizant’s eastern European presence to over 7,500 people.

Global systems integrator and solution provider Cognizant Monday unveiled its planned acquisition of Mobica, a U.K.-based software services company with over 700 software engineers across the U.S. and Europe.

Mobica offers what it calls talent-as-a-service in which customers can use its software engineers to apply specific skills to their teams, scale their teams on-demand, or take on a full software project.

The company has expertise in edge and embedded systems, computer vision, cloud, security, firmware, mobile and web applications, and AI and machine learning.

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The acquisition, for which no dollar value was provided, is slated to close some time next month. When it closes, Cognizant expects to add almost 900 people across North America and Europe, including a base of about 500 software engineers in Poland.

For Cognizant, the acquisition of Mobica represents a significant expansion of its IoT capabilities. Cognizant, ranked No. 7 on the CRN 2022 Solution Provider 500, said the acquisition will significantly expand its IoT embedded software engineering capabilities, representing an opportunity for the Teaneck, N.J.-based solution provider to better take advantage of the fast-growing global product engineering business, which it said will grow to $164 billion by 2026, citing market intelligence firm IDC.

Vibha Rustagi, Cognizant’s global head of IoT, told CRN via email, “Mobica’s skills will enhance Cognizant‘s embedded software engineering capabilities to address customers worldwide, including in the U.S.”

Annadurai Elango, executive vice president of Cognizant‘s core technologies and insights, said in a prepared statement that Mobica’s strong track record in strategic embedded software engineering services aligns with Cognizant‘s Global 2000 client base and key industries.

“We believe combining Mobica‘s expertise with Cognizant’s strong IoT and product engineering capabilities will result in enhanced digital transformation outcomes for global clients in the technology and automotive industries and beyond,” Elango said.

Mobica is the latest move by Cognizant to expand its European base. The company in late 2021 acquired Chicago-based software consultancy and product development company Devbridge, and in 2018 acquired Austin, Texas-based application developer Softvision. Both companies had extensive software operations across Europe, including in Romania and Lithuania.

When the Mobica acquisition closes, Cognizant expects to have over 7,500 personnel across eastern Europe, including about 4,500 software engineers.