Reuters buys Israeli start-up ClearForest

ClearForest has developed text analysis solutions for business intelligence applications.

Globes and Haaretz reported that Reuters Group has acquired Israeli text analysis technology developer ClearForest Ltd. for about $25 million. The companies announced the deal today, before trading began on Nasdaq.

ClearForest was founded in 1998 by chairman and chief scientist Dr. Ronen Feldman and CTO Dr Yonatan Aumann . Aumann is the son of Nobel Prize for Economics Laureate Prof. Israel Aumann.

ClearForest, developed technology to analyse, read and understand large amounts of content originating from diverse documents. Reuters is one of the clients for its technology, which tags content by the principles of artificial intelligence. Other prominent clients include: DowJones, Boing and the FBI.

ClearForest has 31 employees and led by Barak Pridor. Headquartered in Boston, the company has a development center in Or Yehuda, Israel. Under the acquisition agreement, the company will operate under Reuters Search and Strategy Division, headed by Gary Campbell.

Its Israeli shareholders include Greylock Partners, Pitango Venture Capital, Walden Israel, Plenus, and Kadima Hi-tech. Foreign investors include ABS Ventures, Booz Allen Hamilton, Dow Venture Capital, HarbourVest and JPMorgan.

Source: Globes