Infographic: Every Microsoft Acquisition Since 1986

Marcus Lu
2025-07-15 08:10:00
www.visualcapitalist.com

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app.

Infographic: Every Microsoft Acquisition Since 1986

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

Microsoft has acquired at least 277 companies since 1986, including businesses in hardware, software, communications, and gaming
Many of these acquisitions have played a key role in Microsoft’s growth, including Hotmail in 1997 (email platform), Mojang in 2014 (developer of Minecraft), and GitHub in 2018 (world’s largest code hosting platform)

Microsoft has long been known for its aggressive acquisition strategy. Since the mid-1980s, the company has acquired hundreds of businesses to expand its reach across operating systems, enterprise software, gaming, AI, and more.

In this infographic, we break down a timeline of Microsoft acquisitions from 1986 to 2024, showing the evolution of its business interests over nearly four decades.

Data & Discussion

The data for this visualization comes from various online sources, with the bulk of the list coming from Wikipedia. We also referenced the official Microsoft blog to verify details and dates.

Quarter	Company	Business Type
Q2 1986	Dynamical Systems Research	Operating systems
Q3 1987	Forethought, Inc.	Computer software
Q1 1991	Consumers Software	Software
Q2 1992	Fox Software	PC database software
Q1 1994	Softimage	Wholesale 3-D visualization software
Q3 1994	Altamira Software	Software
Q4 1994	NextBase	Software
Q4 1994	One Tree Software	Software
Q1 1995	RenderMorphics	3D graphics hardware
Q3 1995	Network Managers	Systems design
Q4 1995	The Blue Ribbon SoundWorks	Software
Q4 1995	Netwise	Computer software
Q4 1995	Bruce Artwick Organization	Programming
Q1 1996	Vermeer Technologies	Software
Q1 1996	VGA (Animation Software Division)	Software
Q1 1996	Colusa Software	Software
Q2 1996	Exos	Video game controllers
Q2 1996	Aspect Software Engineering	Computer software
Q2 1996	eShop Inc.	Software
Q2 1996	Electric Gravity	Electronic games
Q4 1996	Panorama Software (Online Analytical Processing (OLAP)	Software
Q1 1997	NetCarta	Internet software
Q1 1997	Interse	Internet software
Q2 1997	WebTV Networks	Internet service provider
Q2 1997	Dimension X	Java-based platforms
Q2 1997	Cooper & Peters	Programming
Q2 1997	LinkAge Software	Internet software development
Q3 1997	VXtreme	Internet video software
Q4 1997	Hotmail	Internet software
Q1 1998	Flash Communications	Enterprise instant messaging software
Q2 1998	Firefly	Relationship management software
Q2 1998	MESA Group	Data sharing software
Q3 1998	Valence Research	Internet software
Q4 1998	LinkExchange	Internet advertising network
Q1 1999	Virtual World Entertainment Group	Video games
Q1 1999	CompareNet	Shopping online
Q1 1999	Numinous Technologies	Software
Q2 1999	Access Software	Video games
Q2 1999	Interactive Objects-Digital	Web music software
Q2 1999	Jump Networks	Internet service provider
Q2 1999	ShadowFactor Software	Wholesale computer software
Q2 1999	Omnibrowse	Internet software
Q2 1999	Intrinsa	Defect detection software
Q3 1999	Sendit	Application software
Q3 1999	Zoomit	Encryption software
Q3 1999	STNC	Community software
Q3 1999	Softway Systems	Computer programming
Q4 1999	Entropic	Software
Q1 2000	Visio Corporation	Wholesale drawing software
Q1 2000	Peach Networks	Digital TV services
Q1 2000	Travelscape	Internet service provider
Q2 2000	Titus Communications	Cable television
Q2 2000	Bungie	Video games
Q3 2000	NetGames	Software
Q3 2000	MongoMusic	Online music search engine
Q3 2000	Pacific Microsonics	Digital audio technology
Q4 2000	Digital Anvil	Video games
Q1 2001	Vacationspot	Internet service provider
Q2 2001	Great Plains Software	Business management software
Q2 2001	Intellisol International	Software
Q2 2001	Ensemble Studios	Video games
Q2 2001	NCompass Labs	Internet software
Q2 2001	Maximal Innovative Intelligence	Software
Q3 2001	Yupi	Online Spanish portal
Q1 2002	Classic Custom Vacations	Travel agency
Q2 2002	Sales Management Systems	Software
Q3 2002	Navision	Software programming
Q3 2002	Mobilocity	Computer consulting
Q3 2002	XDegrees	Security software
Q3 2002	Rare	Video games
Q4 2002	Vicinity	Online enterprise location
Q1 2003	Connectix	Software
Q1 2003	DCG	Internet software
Q2 2003	PlaceWare	Web conferencing
Q2 2003	G.A. Sullivan	Information technology
Q2 2003	GeCAD Software	Antivirus technology
Q3 2003	3DO Co-High Heat Baseball	Software
Q2 2004	Encore Bus Solutions-IP Asts	IP assets
Q2 2004	ActiveViews	Reporting systems
Q3 2004	Lookout Software	Personal search tool
Q4 2004	GIANT Company Software	Anti-spyware
Q1 2005	en’tegrate	Software
Q1 2005	Groove Networks	Community software
Q2 2005	MessageCast	Messaging
Q2 2005	Tsinghua-Shenxun-Cert Asts	Certain assets
Q2 2005	Sybari Software	Software
Q3 2005	Teleo	VoIP
Q3 2005	FrontBridge Technologies	Email protection
Q3 2005	Alacris	Certificate management software
Q4 2005	media-streams.com	Software
Q4 2005	5th Finger	Mobile
Q1 2006	UMT-Software and IP Assets	Software
Q1 2006	MotionBridge	Search
Q1 2006	Seadragon Software	Software
Q1 2006	Apptimum	Software
Q1 2006	Onfolio	Internet software
Q2 2006	Lionhead Studios	Video games
Q2 2006	AssetMetrix	Enterprise asset intelligence (SaaS)
Q2 2006	Massive Incorporated	Video game advertising
Q2 2006	Vexcel	Mapping software
Q2 2006	DeepMetrix	Web log analysis
Q2 2006	ProClarity	Analysis software
Q2 2006	iView Multimedia	Digital asset management
Q3 2006	Softricity	Application virtualization software
Q3 2006	Winternals Software	Software
Q3 2006	Whale Communications	Applications
Q3 2006	Gteko	Applications
Q4 2006	DesktopStandard	Applications
Q4 2006	Colloquis	Natural language software
Q1 2007	Medstory	Internet search engine
Q1 2007	devBiz Business Solutions	Software tools
Q2 2007	ScreenTonic	Advertising and marketing
Q2 2007	Tellme Networks	Mobile phone software
Q2 2007	SoftArtisans	Business Intelligence software
Q2 2007	Engyro	Information technology
Q2 2007	Stratature	Master data management
Q2 2007	Savvis Inc-Data Centers	Networking
Q3 2007	AdECN	Ad Exchange
Q3 2007	aQuantive	Digital marketing
Q4 2007	Jellyfish.com	Search engine
Q4 2007	Parlano	Enterprise messaging software
Q4 2007	Global Care Solutions-Assets	Assets
Q4 2007	HOB Business Solutions	Information technology
Q4 2007	Musiwave	Mobile music entertainment
Q4 2007	Multimap.com	Mapping
Q1 2008	Calista Technologies	Software
Q1 2008	Caligari Corporation	Software
Q1 2008	YaData	Software
Q1 2008	Rapt	Advertising yield management software
Q1 2008	Komoku	Rootkit security software
Q1 2008	90 Degree Software	Business intelligence software
Q2 2008	Farecast	Online search software
Q2 2008	Danger	Mobile Internet software
Q2 2008	Fast Search & Transfer	Enterprise search[clarification needed]
Q2 2008	Kidaro	Software
Q2 2008	Quadreon	Software
Q2 2008	Navic Networks	Management software
Q2 2008	Mobicomp	Mobile applications
Q3 2008	Powerset	Semantic Search
Q3 2008	DATAllegro	Data software
Q3 2008	Greenfield Online	Search and e-commerce services
Q1 2009	3DV Systems	Developer of ZCam, a time-of-flight camera
Q2 2009	BigPark	Video games interactive online gaming
Q2 2009	Rosetta Biosoftware	Bioinformatics solutions for life science research
Q3 2009	Interactive Supercomputing	Software
Q4 2009	Opalis Software	Software
Q1 2010	Sentillion, Inc.	Software for the healthcare industry
Q4 2010	AVIcode, Inc.	.Net monitoring technology
Q4 2010	Canesta, Inc.	3D sensing technology
Q2 2011	Skype Technologies	Telecommunications
Q2 2011	Prodiance	Software
Q4 2011	Twisted Pixel Games	Video games
Q4 2011	Videosurf	Video search
Q2 2012	Press Play	Video games
Q2 2012	Yammer	Social networking
Q3 2012	Perceptive Pixel	Multi touch hardware
Q4 2012	PhoneFactor	Two-factor authentication system
Q4 2012	StorSimple	Cloud-storage appliance vendor
Q4 2012	MarketingPilot	Marketing automation firm
Q1 2013	id8 Group R2 Studios	Home automation
Q1 2013	Pando Networks	Peer-to-peer (P2P) media distribution
Q1 2013	MetricsHub	Cloud monitoring
Q1 2013	Netbreeze	Social analytics
Q2 2013	InRelease	Release management
Q3 2013	Nokia (Mobile Phones Unit)	Mobile phones, smartphones
Q4 2013	HLW Software	RDP applications
Q4 2013	Apiphany	API management
Q1 2014	Parature	Customer service software
Q2 2014	GreenButton	Cloud computing
Q2 2014	Capptain	(Mobile) application development
Q3 2014	SyntaxTree	Developer tools
Q3 2014	InMage	Disaster recovery solutions
Q3 2014	Inception Mobile Inc.	Software
Q4 2014	Mojang Studios	Video games
Q4 2014	Aorato	Enterprise security & machine learning
Q4 2014	Acompli	Mobile email apps
Q4 2014	HockeyApp	Mobile beta distribution & crash analytics
Q1 2015	Equivio	Text analytics service
Q1 2015	Revolution Analytics	Statistical computing and predictive analytics
Q1 2015	Sunrise Atelier, Inc.	Sunrise Calendar applications
Q1 2015	N-trig	Styli and pen input hardware and software
Q1 2015	LiveLoop	PowerPoint collaboration
Q2 2015	Datazen Software, Inc.	Mobile business intelligence & data visualization
Q2 2015	6 Wunderkinder GmbH	Wunderlist to-do list applications
Q2 2015	BlueStripe Software	Application management
Q3 2015	FieldOne Systems LLC	Enterprise field service
Q3 2015	Adallom	Cloud security
Q3 2015	Incent Games, LLC	Sales-gamification
Q3 2015	VoloMetrix, Inc.	Organisational analytics
Q3 2015	Double Labs, Inc.	Mobile lock screen software
Q3 2015	Adxstudio Inc.	Web portal and application lifecycle management solutions
Q4 2015	Havok	Video game physics engine
Q4 2015	Mobile Data Labs, Inc.	MileIQ, a mileage tracking application
Q4 2015	Secure Islands Technologies Ltd.	Data protection
Q4 2015	Metanautix	Big data analytics
Q4 2015	Talko, Inc.	Mobile communications
Q1 2016	Event Zero	VoIP Products
Q1 2016	Teacher Gaming LLC	Education software
Q1 2016	SwiftKey	Virtual keyboard
Q1 2016	Groove	Music discovery
Q1 2016	Xamarin	Mobile application development
Q2 2016	Solair	Internet of Things platform
Q2 2016	Wand Labs	Conversation as a service
Q3 2016	Beam	Video game streaming
Q3 2016	Genee	AI-powered scheduling assistant service
Q4 2016	LinkedIn	Professional social network
Q1 2017	Maluuba	Artificial intelligence
Q1 2017	Simplygon	3D graphics optimization
Q2 2017	Deis	Container management
Q2 2017	Intentional Software	Intentional programming
Q2 2017	Hexadite	Cybersecurity
Q2 2017	Cloudyn	Cloud business management
Q3 2017	Cycle Computing	Cloud HPC
Q4 2017	AltspaceVR	Virtual reality
Q4 2017	SWNG	Cinemagraphic photo app
Q1 2018	Avere Systems	Data management
Q1 2018	Playfab	Gaming backend service
Q2 2018	Semantic Machines	Conversational AI
Q2 2018	Ninja Theory	Video games
Q2 2018	Undead Labs	Video games
Q2 2018	Compulsion Games	Video games
Q2 2018	Playground Games	Video games
Q2 2018	Flipgrid	Education, video discussion platform
Q2 2018	Bonsai	Industrial AI platform
Q3 2018	Lobe	Artificial intelligence
Q4 2018	Glint	Employee engagement
Q4 2018	GitHub	Software development and version control platform
Q4 2018	inXile Entertainment	Video games
Q4 2018	Obsidian Entertainment	Video games
Q4 2018	XOXCO	Conversational AI
Q4 2018	FSLogix	Application provisioning and virtualization
Q4 2018	Spectrum	Social networks for design and development
Q1 2019	Citus Data	Database management
Q1 2019	DataSense	Database management
Q2 2019	Express Logic	Real-time operating systems
Q2 2019	Dependabot	Open source tool
Q2 2019	Drawbridge	AI & machine learning technology
Q2 2019	Double Fine Productions	Video games
Q2 2019	Pull Panda	Software
Q3 2019	BlueTalon	Data privacy and governance service
Q3 2019	PromoteIQ	Retail e-commerce improvement
Q3 2019	jClarity	Java software optimization
Q3 2019	Movere	Cloud migration
Q3 2019	Semmle	Code analysis tool
Q4 2019	Mover	File migration
Q1 2020	npm	Software and JavaScript modules
Q1 2020	Affirmed Networks	5G Networking
Q2 2020	Metaswitch Networks	5G Networking
Q2 2020	Softomotive	Robotic Process Automation
Q2 2020	ADRM Software	Data modeling startup
Q2 2020	CyberX	IoT/OT Security
Q3 2020	Orions Systems	Dynamics 365 – SMart vision
Q3 2020	ZeniMax Media	Video games
Q4 2020	Smash.gg	Esports
Q1 2021	The Marsden Group	Tech in complex industrial environments
Q2 2021	Nuance Communications	Speech synthesis and speech recognition
Q2 2021	Kinvolk	Open source Kubernetes solutions and tools.
Q2 2021	ReFirm Labs	IoT security and embedded devices
Q2 2021	AT&T (Network Cloud Technology)	5G Networking
Q3 2021	RiskIQ	Cybersecurity ransomware
Q3 2021	CloudKnox	Cloud infrastructure entitlement management security
Q3 2021	Suplari	Software
Q3 2021	Peer5	Peer-to-peer network technology
Q3 2021	Clipchamp	Video-editing software
Q3 2021	TakeLessons	Education
Q4 2021	Ally.io	Productivity
Q4 2021	Clear Software	Software
Q4 2021	Two Hat	Content moderation
Q4 2021	Xandr	Digital Media
Q1 2022	Activision Blizzard	Video games
Q1 2022	Oribi	Marketing analytics
Q1 2022	Minit	Process mining software
Q2 2022	Miburo	Cyberthreat analysis and research specializing
Q4 2022	Lumenisity	Optical networking
Q1 2023	Fungible	composable infrastructure
Q2 2023	Nemesys Games	Video games
Q1 2024	Inflection AI	AI personal assistant

Of the 277 acquisitions listed in this dataset, 192 companies were based in the U.S. A further 20 were from Canada, 14 from Israel, and 13 from the UK. The remaining 37 were largely based in Europe and Asia.

Acquisition Growth Accelerates Post-2000

Microsoft’s M&A activity ramped up significantly in the 2000s, averaging 10 acquisitions per year between 2000 and 2009.

This period saw the company expand into enterprise software and services, acquiring names like Visio and Great Plains Software.

Microsoft’s acquisition of Visio was an all-stock deal worth $1.5 billion, which integrated diagramming software into Microsoft Office. Great Plains Software was purchased in a similar fashion, and would later become Microsoft Dynamics, offering business software for accounting, supply chain management, and more.

This era also marked Microsoft’s push into gaming, highlighted by its purchases of Ensemble Studios (the developer of Age of Empires) and Bungie (the creator of the Halo franchise).

Microsoft has continued to make major acquisitions in the gaming sector, including Mojang (the creator of Minecraft) and Activision Blizzard (Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, etc.)

Microsoft’s Mobile Blunders

Unfortunately, not all of Microsoft’s acquisitions panned out the way they were intended. One of its most high-profile blunders was in the mobile sector.

In 2014, the company acquired Nokia’s Devices and Services division for $7.2 billion to build a hardware ecosystem for Windows Phone. Despite the scale of the deal, the strategy faltered—Microsoft wrote down nearly the entire acquisition just a year later, and Windows Phone was eventually abandoned.

Earlier, in 2008, Microsoft had acquired Danger Inc., the company behind the T-Mobile Sidekick, with hopes of bringing its expertise to new mobile products. That effort culminated in the Microsoft Kin, which flopped so badly they were discontinued just 48 days after launch.

Global and AI-Focused in Recent Years

Microsoft is increasingly focused on artificial intelligence and cloud computing, with deals like Nuance Communications (2021) in healthcare AI, and Inflection AI (2024) to boost its large language model (LLM) capabilities.

The deal with Inflection AI has been described as a pseudo-acquisition, where Microsoft hired key personnel to lead the development of Copilot.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The Biggest AI Deals of 2025 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Source Link

Keep your files stored safely and securely with the SanDisk 2TB Extreme Portable SSD. With over 69,505 ratings and an impressive 4.6 out of 5 stars, this product has been purchased over 8K+ times in the past month. At only $129.99, this Amazon’s Choice product is a must-have for secure file storage.

Help keep private content private with the included password protection featuring 256-bit AES hardware encryption. Order now for just $129.99 on Amazon!

Unlock unlimited streaming with a free Amazon Prime trial!
Sign up today!

Help Power Techcratic’s Future – Scan To Support

If Techcratic’s content and insights have helped you, consider giving back by supporting the platform with crypto. Every contribution makes a difference, whether it’s for high-quality content, server maintenance, or future updates. Techcratic is constantly evolving, and your support helps drive that progress.

As a solo operator who wears all the hats, creating content, managing the tech, and running the site, your support allows me to stay focused on delivering valuable resources. Your support keeps everything running smoothly and enables me to continue creating the content you love. I’m deeply grateful for your support, it truly means the world to me! Thank you!

BITCOIN

Bitcoin Logo