Wiz’s decision to back out of a $23 billion acquisition offer from Google is expected to have significant repercussions for the technology sector, particularly for Microsoft.
Wiz, an Israeli cybersecurity startup, declined Google’s bid, with CEO Assaf Rappaport stating that he opted to reject the offer to focus on growing the company towards an annual revenue goal of $1 billion and pursuing an initial public offering. This acquisition would have enhanced Google’s cybersecurity offerings, especially following a recent major outage linked to industry leader CrowdStrike, which impacted many businesses.
Following the announcement, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives indicated that investor worries and antitrust complications were key factors in the deal’s collapse. Google has recently been under intense scrutiny from antitrust regulators and just concluded a trial connected to one of two prominent cases brought forth by the Department of Justice.
Ives noted that the fallout from this deal may resonate throughout the industry, suggesting that Google will likely continue to focus on expanding its cybersecurity capabilities. He also predicted that Microsoft would look to strengthen its cybersecurity platform in the coming 12 to 18 months, especially following a recent global IT outage attributed to a faulty update from CrowdStrike, which disrupted operations for many users.
While Ives acknowledged CrowdStrike’s reputation as a leader in cybersecurity, he pointed out that the incident emphasizes Microsoft’s need to enhance its cybersecurity strategy, with the failed Google acquisition paving the way for potential opportunities.