Enterprise IT major Cisco is set to acquire Jasper Technologies for $1.4 billion in cash to boost its Internet of Things (IoT) business.
Jasper Technologies, a privately held company based in Santa Clara, offers cloud-based IoT service platform to assist enterprises and telecom service providers to launch, manage and monetize IoT services.
Last year, Reliance Communications, a telecom operator in India, has selected Jasper to enable enterprises to launch, manage and monetize IoT businesses. Reliance is Jasper’s sole telecom partner in India. Reliance’s 11 data centers and Global Cloud Exchange platform with Jasper’s IoT services platform will enable enterprises to capitalize on IoT services.
Cisco claims that Jasper is the industry’s leading IoT service platform in terms of number of enterprises and service providers.
Jasper Technologies allows companies to connect any device — from cars to jet engines to implanted pacemakers — over the cellular networks of the service providers, and then manage connectivity of IoT services through Jasper’s Software as a Service (SaaS) platform.
Jasper develops and provides a SaaS platform with a predictable, recurring revenue IoT business that manages and drives a wide range of connected devices and services for more than 3500 enterprises worldwide, working with 27 service provider groups.
The proposed acquisition will allow Cisco to offer a complete IoT solution that is interoperable across devices and works with IoT service providers, application developers and an ecosystem of partners.
Cisco will continue to build upon the Jasper IoT service platform and add new IoT services such as enterprise Wi-Fi, security for connected devices, and advanced analytics to better manage device usage.
Chuck Robbins, chief executive officer at Cisco, said: “Together, we can enable service providers, enterprises and the broader ecosystem to connect, automate, manage, and analyze billions of connected things, across any network, creating new revenue streams and opportunities.”
Jasper Technologies CEO and founder Jahangir Mohammed will run the IoT Software Business Unit under Rowan Trollope, Cisco senior vice president and general manager, IoT and Collaboration Technology Group.
Baburajan K
editor@telecomlead.com
