BlackBerry Acquires WatchDox To Boost Mobile Security Offerings

Ontario-based BlackBerry announced a definitive agreement to acquire WatchDox, a startup that has developed cross-platform technology for digital rights management and for enterprises to share files securely. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the WSJ reported earlier that the Ontario-based BlackBerry is paying about $70 million for the company.

The acquisition enhances BlackBerry's mobile security offerings, it also gives the company an access to WatchDox's research and development facilities in Petah Tikva, Israel, which will become the new home for BlackBerry's R&D operations in Israel. In addition, BlackBerry will also leverage WatchDox's 100-person team in Petah Tikva facilities to build out its  R&D operations in Israel.

Based in Palo Alto, California, with R&D facilities in Petah Tikva, Israel, WatchDox is a data security company offering the most secure enterprise file-sync-and-share solutions that gives users control over how their files are edited, copied, printed and shared on any device. WatchDox solutions allows IT administrators to revoke access or delete files even after they leave a company's corporate network, enables secure mobile productivity for repositories both in the cloud and on premises, and gives IT admins the ability to lock or even remove access to compromised files.

WatchDox's clients include 150 of the Fortune 1000, it competes with Box.com, DropBox, and also big vendors like Citrix, Google and Microsoft.

BlackBerry CEO John Chen said the deal showed the company’s strong commitment to enhancing security and meeting the needs of businesses and market. “BlackBerry is constantly expanding the potential of data security so that it enables more collaboration and sharing rather than creating limitations," CEO Chen said. "This acquisition represents another key step forward as we transition BlackBerry into the premier platform for secure mobile communications software and applications, supporting all devices and operating systems.”

BlackBerry CEO John Chen said in a statement that: “BlackBerry is constantly expanding the potential of data security so that it enables more collaboration and sharing rather than creating limitations. This acquisition represents another key step forward as we transition BlackBerry into the premier platform for secure mobile communications software and applications, supporting all devices and operating systems. Together with last year's Secusmart acquisition, Samsung partnership, our own internal development efforts, and now the acquisition of WatchDox, we now have capabilities to secure communications end-to-end from voice, text, messaging, data and now enterprise file-sync-and share.”

The move follows another security-focused moves by BlackBerry- the acquisition of Secusmart, a leader in high-security voice and data encryption. 

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