Esri buys firm to bolster user, cloud skills

Esri is buying a Virginia company to add more user experience, web development and cloud computing capabilities to its geographic information system portfolio.

Terms of the deal to acquire GeoIQ were not disclosed. The company is based in Arlington, Va., and will become part of Esri’s ArcGIS platform. They also will move from Arlington, Va., to Washington, D.C., to become part of Esri’s new software development center.

GeoIQ founder Sean Gorman said that his company shares Esri’s GIS for everyone approach.

The acquisition supplements Esri’s capabilities to deliver simple geospatial solutions, said Jack Dangermond, Esri president.

The ArcGIS platform is focused on the government market with solutions suppring things such as self-service mapping, analytics, big data, content streaming and social media, the company said.

Esri said it will continue to support GeoIQ customers.

The investment bank Houlihan Lokey served as an advisor to GeoIQ.