In a strategic move to strengthen its artificial intelligence offerings, HCLSoftware, the software division of IT giant HCLTech, announced on Monday its decision to acquire Wobby, a startup based in Antwerp. The all-cash transaction is valued at $5.2 million (€4.5 million).
Strategic Push into Agentic AI
The acquisition represents HCLSoftware's latest effort to embed 'Agentic AI'—advanced autonomous systems capable of reasoning and executing tasks—directly into its enterprise data solutions. Wobby specializes in creating AI data analyst 'Agents' that allow users to interact with complex datasets using simple, natural language questions and receive immediate, actionable insights.
The deal is anticipated to be finalized by February 2026. Its primary objective is to enhance the capabilities of HCL's Actian Data Intelligence Platform, specifically in areas like metadata management, data cataloging, and data governance solutions.
Enabling Self-Service Analytics
In an official statement, the company highlighted the benefits of the acquisition. "Adding Agentic AI Data Analyst capabilities will further enable customers to interact with their raw data and get fast and accurate business insights on demand," the statement read. It further explained that Wobby's technology is powered by a proprietary semantic layer and agentic architecture that understands business context, automates complex workflows, and delivers high-quality analytical output at scale.
Marc Potter, CEO of Actian and Portfolio General Manager for HCLSoftware's Data & AI division, emphasized the growing customer demand for trustworthy, AI-driven analytics. "With Wobby, Actian provides LLM-powered natural-language analytics on a unified, governed semantic layer, enabling self-service analytics that delivers context-rich, accurate insights and a foundation for scaling GenAI initiatives with confidence," he said.
Amra Dorjbayar, CEO and Co-Founder of Wobby, expressed optimism about the merger, stating that combining Wobby's capabilities with the Actian platform would offer customers a "differentiated approach to data management."
Following a Major Telecom Acquisition
This relatively modest, tactical acquisition of an early-stage GenAI innovator comes just days after its parent company, HCLTech, made a much larger move. HCLTech recently completed a $160 million buyout of Hewlett Packard Enterprise's (HPE) Telco Solutions business.
While the Wobby deal is seen as an 'acqui-hire' for niche AI talent and technology, the HPE transaction is a significant asset carve-out aimed at solidifying HCLTech's position in the competitive 5G and autonomous networking markets. Through the HPE deal, HCLTech gains valuable intellectual property, engineering talent, and relationships with major global Communication Service Providers (CSPs).
This dual acquisition strategy showcases HCL Group's balanced approach: making bold, large-scale bets in established sectors like telecommunications while simultaneously investing in cutting-edge, future-focused technologies like Agentic AI to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.
