HCLTech Acquires Belgium Startup Wobby for $5.2 Million

The software division of IT conglomerate HCLTech, HCLSoftware, announced on 22 December that it will buy Wobby, a startup based in Antwerp that specialises in AI data analyst bots. The all-cash transaction, which costs $5.2 million (€4.5 million), is HCL's most recent attempt to integrate "Agentic AI"—self-governing computers that can reason and carry out tasks—directly into its business data stack.

Through a natural language interface, the startup's AI data analyst "Agents" let consumers query intricate databases and get immediate, actionable insights. The acquisition, which is anticipated to conclude in February 2026, aims to strengthen HCL's Actian Data Intelligence Platform by enhancing its capabilities in the areas of data catalogue, metadata management, and data governance.

How this Acquisition will Help HCLTech

The company went on to explain how this acquisition will benefit HCLTech, saying that the addition of Agentic AI Data Analyst skills will allow clients to work with their raw data and obtain quick and precise business insights whenever they need them. With the help of Wobby's AI Data Analyst "Agents", users may rapidly obtain actionable insights by querying complex datasets using natural language.

The Actian Data Intelligence Platform's knowledge graph capabilities are complemented by the solution's patented semantic layer and agentic architecture, which read business context, automate intricate operations, and produce high-quality analytical output at scale. Customers expect self-service analytics with reliable AI-driven insights, according to Marc Potter, CEO of Actian & Portfolio General Manager of HCLSoftware's Data & AI team. Potter added that Actian offers LLM-powered natural language analytics on a unified, regulated semantic layer with Wobby, providing self-service analytics that gives accurate, context-rich insights and a basis for confidently growing GenAI initiatives.

HCLTech on Acquisition Spree

The acquisition of Wobby comes only days after HCLTech acquired the Telco Solutions division of Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) for a staggering $160 million. The company stated in a stock exchange statement on 18 December that the deal is set up as an all-cash asset carve-out.

A $15 million incentive based on performance measures for the fiscal year 2025 is added to the initial purchase price as part of the contract. Subject to usual closing conditions and regulatory clearances, such as permission from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), the transaction is anticipated to close in about six months.

HCLTech plans to use the increased engineering capacity and intellectual property to speed up 5G network transformation, network cloudification, autonomous networking, Network as a Service (NaaS), Service Management and Orchestration (SMO), AI-led network automation, and AI-native networks for international CSPs, according to the official company statement.