Thought Leadership
The American software giant Nice is paying 955 million dollars for the Düsseldorf-based company Cognigy. The deal marks the largest AI takeover in Europe to date.
Handesblatt first reported on the takeover. Founded in 2016, the Düsseldorf-based start-up has become a European heavyweight in the field of AI-based customer communication within just a few years. Cognigy’s AI agents can independently process complex customer inquiries in over a hundred languages and conduct natural conversations. Over a thousand international corporations already rely on the platform to automate their customer interactions. Reference customers include global corporations such as Toyota and Bosch.
Technology approach convinces regulated industries
Cognigy is particularly successful in industries with high compliance requirements. Unlike many of its competitors, the company does not rely primarily on generative AI models, but on a hybrid approach with a strong focus on data protection and controllability. This strategy pays off particularly in financial services and the energy industry, where strict regulatory requirements apply:
The acquisition is part of Nice’s expansion strategy in the area of customer experience. Cognigy’s technology will be integrated into the existing CXone Mpower platform to provide customers with end-to-end automation solutions from first contact to follow-up.
Company founder Philipp Heltewig will remain on board after the transaction and sees the partnership as an opportunity to accelerate international expansion. Nice is financing the deal entirely from its own funds, with 50 million dollars flowing later depending on success. Closing is planned for Q4 2025, subject to antitrust approvals.
Nice was founded in 1986 as “Neptune Intelligence Computer Engineering” in Ra’anana, Israel, and has developed from a local software provider into a global market leader in the field of customer experience management. Headquartered in New York, the NASDAQ-listed company employs over 9,000 people worldwide and serves more than 25,000 organizations in over 150 countries – including 85 of the Fortune 100.
