AI Startup Cohere Acquires Ottogrid, a Platform for Conducting Market Research
Strategic Acquisition in AI-Powered Market Research
Artificial intelligence leader Cohere has made a strategic move by acquiring Ottogrid, a Vancouver-based platform specializing in AI-driven market research automation. The deal, announced by Ottogrid co-founder Sully Omar via X (formerly Twitter), marks a significant expansion of Cohere’s enterprise AI capabilities.
Transition Plans and Integration
While financial terms remain undisclosed, Omar confirmed that Ottogrid will gradually sunset its standalone product. “We’re providing customers with ample notice and a reasonable transition period,” he stated. The acquisition will focus on integrating Ottogrid’s technology into Cohere’s existing platform, particularly its North application – a ChatGPT-style tool for knowledge workers.
Cohere’s Enterprise AI Strategy
The acquisition comes during a pivotal moment for Cohere. Despite reportedly missing 2023 revenue targets by 85%, the company recently announced reaching $100 million in annualized revenue after shifting focus to private AI deployments for healthcare, government, and financial sectors.
Ottogrid’s AI-Powered Capabilities
Originally launched in 2023 as Cognosys, Ottogrid rebranded in October 2024 with enhanced features including:
- Native table interface with AI document analysis
- Automated data extraction from websites to spreadsheets
- Sales lead list enrichment tools
The startup had raised $2 million from notable investors including GV (Google Ventures), Untapped Capital, and several tech executives prior to the acquisition.
Future of AI-Powered Research
Cohere CEO Aidan Gomez expressed enthusiasm about the deal: “We’re bringing enterprises a new way to tackle research with smart tables, helping make employees’ day-to-day work more enjoyable and productive.” The integration promises to enhance Cohere’s position in the competitive enterprise AI market, particularly for research-intensive workflows.
As the AI landscape continues to evolve, this acquisition demonstrates how established players are consolidating specialized capabilities to deliver comprehensive solutions for business automation and data intelligence.