Wiz’s decision to reject Google’s acquisition proposal could significantly impact the tech landscape, particularly Microsoft.
Google was in the process of acquiring Israeli cybersecurity company Wiz for a staggering $23 billion, but the company opted out of the deal on Tuesday. Wiz CEO Assaf Rappaport stated that the choice was difficult but essential, as the company aims to focus on achieving $1 billion in annual revenue and pursuing an initial public offering (IPO).
This acquisition would have strengthened Google’s position in the cybersecurity sector, especially following a notable outage linked to cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike last week. Analyst Dan Ives from Wedbush noted that the failure of the deal stemmed from investor apprehension and ongoing antitrust issues plaguing Google, which has recently faced rigorous scrutiny, culminating in its trial related to two significant cases from the Department of Justice.
Ives expressed in a research note that the fallout from this deal could create ripples throughout the industry. He suggested that despite the setback with Wiz, Google would likely intensify its focus on expanding its cybersecurity capabilities, a trend that could also be mirrored by its competitor, Microsoft.
Ives projected that consolidation in the cybersecurity sector is overdue and anticipated that Microsoft might pursue strategies to enhance its own cybersecurity platform in the upcoming 12 to 18 months. Microsoft faced scrutiny recently due to widespread IT outages caused by issues related to a CrowdStrike update, which impacted users globally, leading to disruptions in various sectors, including business and government.
While CrowdStrike is still regarded as a leading player in the cybersecurity field, the recent challenges may indicate that Microsoft needs to strengthen its cybersecurity offerings more than ever, and the collapse of the Google-Wiz deal could further facilitate this process.