Accenture acquires three OT cybersecurity firms for $4.175 billion
Accenture has agreed to acquire a majority of Dragos and 100% of RunZero and NetRise to provide operational technology (OT) security for critical infrastructure and industrial operations.
Founded in 2016, Dragos provides a software platform that enables clients across areas including oil and gas, electricity, manufacturing, water, transportation, mining, and government to monitor OT environments for asset identification, vulnerability management, and threat detection.
The firm is led by co-founder and CEO Robert Lee and has 580 employees.
RunZero was founded in 2018 and provides comprehensive exposure assessment and attack-surface intelligence. The Austin-based firm is led by CEO HD Moore and has 66 employees.
NetRise was founded in 2020 and provides firmware-level visibility into device exposure and a unique software supply chain dataset. The Austin-based firm is led by CEO Thomas Pace and has 57 employees.
Following closure of the deal, which is valued at approximately $4.175 billion, RunZero and NetRise will merge with Dragos, which will continue to function as an independent business.
Accenture says the combined firm will provide a unified solution for enhancing OT network visibility, threat detection, and response.
“We are confident Dragos’ differentiated OT platform will accelerate our growth in the critical infrastructure and industrial operations markets, driving long-term shareholder value through scaled adoption of advanced cybersecurity capabilities,” said Julie Sweet, chair and CEO, Accenture.
The major deal will significantly expand Accenture’s cybersecurity business, which has grown to $10 billion in revenue in FY25 from $700 million in 2016.
The transaction will expand Accenture’s OT security offering from services into software. The OT security market is expected to grow by 16% CAGR from $27 billion in 2026 to $59 billion in 2031.
“Organizations need solutions, not a patchwork of software and services,” Lee said. “The addition of runZero and NetRise will allow the Dragos Platform to be a unique end-to-end platform for global defense, and Accenture will bring its decades of trusted relationships and deep expertise to help us scale and secure more critical infrastructure and physical operations globally.”
The transaction is expected to close in August or September 2026.
Accenture’s share price fell by more than 17% on Thursday following its Q4 earnings report, which saw the firm drop its annual revenue growth forecast to 3-4% from a previous forecast of 3-5%. The Dublin-based consultancy also reported a $400 million hit to its Middle East business in the third quarter because of the Iran war, and expected “more impact” in the fourth quarter.
