Cognex Corporation to Acquire Intel Spinoff RealSense in $500 Million Deal

Cognex Corporation, a US machine vision company, has signed an agreement to acquire RealSense, an Israeli developer of AI vision technology for robots, in a $500 million transaction.

The deal marks one of the most significant strategic moves in Cognex's recent history and will be financed entirely from the company's existing cash reserves, with completion expected in the fourth quarter of 2026 pending regulatory approval. Cognex will also grant a $50 million stock option and incentive plan.

RealSense was originally founded by Intel in 2014 as its internal innovation division and was spun out as an independent company in 2025. In August 2025, it signed a deal with Nvidia to integrate its perception technology with Nvidia's Jetson Thor robotic platform, becoming a key supplier of perception systems for autonomous mobile robots, industrial robotic arms, quadrupeds and emerging humanoid platforms.

The company employs 180 people in Israel, with 135 based in its Haifa development center and the remainder in Cupertino, California. Approximately 80 of those Israeli employees are expected to receive at least NIS 1 million each.

Nadav Orbach, Chief Executive Officer of RealSense, stated:

"RealSense was built on a simple idea: robots and autonomous systems can't act intelligently in the physical world if they can't first perceive it accurately. We've called that mission the Visual Cortex of Physical AI. Joining Cognex puts that mission on an entirely new scale, giving us access to a global industrial customer base and go-to-market reach that would have taken us years to build on our own. This is a combination that makes both businesses stronger."

Prior to completion of the deal, RealSense will spin out its facial authentication product line into an independent company and will continue to focus on growth in the biometrics market.

With the acquisition, the business is expected to generate between $80 million and $90 million in revenue in 2026, representing more than 50% growth over the previous year. The broader robotic perception market, currently valued at roughly $600 million, is projected to grow more than 25% annually and reach approximately $1.6 billion by 2030.

Cognex, headquartered near Boston and operating in more than 30 countries serving over 30,000 customers worldwide, develops machine-vision systems that help manufacturers and distribution companies automate inspection, measurement, identification and robotic guidance.

The acquisition of RealSense is Cognex's first purchase in Israel and expands the company into robotic perception and the emerging Physical AI market.

Matt Moschner, President and CEO of Cognex, stated:

"RealSense represents a compelling strategic expansion for Cognex into robotic perception, one of the most attractive adjacent markets in machine vision. RealSense brings a leading 3D perception platform with proprietary technology, a strong developer community, and a compelling value proposition for customers. Combined with Cognex's machine vision expertise and global reach, RealSense positions us to offer a full-stack visual intelligence platform, spanning industrial ID, 2D and 3D machine vision measurement to 3D depth perception and robotic navigation, built to serve the full spectrum of Physical AI."

The rise of Physical AI is reshaping global industries from logistics and manufacturing to defense, healthcare and consumer robotics, with robots increasingly expected to operate in dynamic, unpredictable environments rather than fixed, pre-programmed settings.