Cognex Acquires Israeli 3D Vision Firm RealSense for Over $600 Million

American company Cognex has announced its acquisition of Israeli firm RealSense, a developer of 3D perception technologies for robots, for approximately $500 million in cash. An additional $56.5 million in cash for a three-year retention program for RealSense employees, plus stock options valued at around $50 million, brings the total deal value to over $600 million, according to Israeli media. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, pending regulatory approvals.

RealSense was originally founded by Intel in 2014 as an internal division focused on 3D vision technology. Following significant layoffs at Intel under former CEO Pat Gelsinger, the division was spun off into an independent company in July 2025, raising $50 million in a funding round that included private equity, Intel Capital, MediaTek, and dormakaba. At the time of its spin-off, RealSense was unprofitable with quarterly revenues of $7-8 million. Since then, the company has reportedly tripled its revenue and achieved profitability in the last two quarters.

RealSense specializes in depth cameras and a 3D perception platform for various robotic applications, including stationary manipulators, autonomous mobile robots, quadrupedal robots, and humanoids. Cognex estimates the market for robotic perception systems is currently valued at $600 million and is projected to grow by over 25% annually, reaching approximately $1.6 billion by 2030.

This acquisition marks Cognex's largest ever and its first in Israel. Cognex, a leader in machine vision for over 40 years with approximately 3,000 employees and annual revenues around $1 billion, serves over 30,000 customers globally. Upon completion of the deal, RealSense employees will remain with Cognex, and its Israeli division will become Cognex's robotics and Physical AI development hub. Prior to the acquisition's closing, RealSense will spin off its facial authentication and biometric identification business into a separate company with about 25 employees.