Cobwebs Technologies
Cobwebs Technologies is an Israeli-origin OSINT and surveillance software company, founded in 2012 and acquired by US firm PenLink in July 2023, that builds AI-powered web intelligence, ad-based geolocation (Webloc), and phone-tracking (Tangles) tools primarily for US federal, state, and international law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Cobwebs Technologies does
Cobwebs Technologies was an Israeli open-source intelligence (OSINT) and surveillance software company founded in 2012 that built AI-powered web intelligence (WEBINT) tools for law enforcement, national security, and government customers. Its core technology stack combined proprietary OSINT collection across surface, deep, and dark web sources with ad-based geolocation surveillance (the Webloc platform, ingesting data from up to 500 million mobile devices via commercial advertising identifiers) and AI-driven analytics for pattern detection, facial recognition, and warrantless device tracking. The Tangles product wrapped these capabilities into an AI-powered phone-tracking workflow; the post-acquisition CoAnalyst and CoAnalyst 360 products added generative-AI natural-language querying and a multi-agent AI architecture that turns investigator questions into decision-ready outputs.
The company monetized primarily through multi-year enterprise software licensing to government and law enforcement agencies, with disclosed contract values ranging from $2.3M (DHS Webloc) to $8M (Texas DPS Tangles), plus ICE spending of approximately $5M. Distribution was predominantly direct enterprise sales to US federal agencies (ICE, DHS, CBP) and state bodies, supplemented by international channel partners such as SCI-Network Ltd. in Hungary, which resold Israeli-origin licenses to local intelligence agencies at significant markups. The company was acquired by US-based PenLink in July 2023, after which Cobwebs' product portfolio was integrated into PenLink's broader digital intelligence platform (alongside modules for Digital Evidence, Data Analytics, Live Communication, Reports & Alerts, and Data Visualizations). Post-acquisition, the combined entity serves law enforcement, national security, defense, financial services, and enterprise customers globally, with stated capacity of 1,000+ organizations, 1M+ daily records processed, and 35+ years of operational track record through PenLink. Cobwebs had previously been banned by Meta for surveilling activists and opposition politicians in Mexico and Hong Kong, a reputational overhang that remains relevant to the combined platform's risk profile.
Cobwebs Technologies firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cobwebs Technologies
- Legal name
- Cobwebs Technologies Ltd.
- Website
- https://cobwebs.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Cobwebs Technologies is an Israeli-origin OSINT and surveillance software company, founded in 2012 and acquired by US firm PenLink in July 2023, that builds AI-powered web intelligence, ad-based geolocation (Webloc), and phone-tracking (Tangles) tools primarily for US federal, state, and international law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cobwebs Technologies industry classification
Industry- Product category
- OSINT and Digital Intelligence Software
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Digital/Online Investigations & OSINT (Non-cyber) (BPAKAEAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Fraud, Cybercrime Investigations & Brand/Dark Web Monitoring (BPAKAHAO)
Keywords
Where Cobwebs Technologies is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Cobwebs Technologies business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Software Licensing - Government/Law Enforcement: Cobwebs Technologies generates revenue through licensing its surveillance software (Webloc, Tangles, OSINT platforms) to government agencies and law enforcement bodies. Contracts include multi-year license renewals and support services. Evidence includes $2.3M DHS contract for Webloc location-tracking software and $8M Texas law enforcement investment in Tangles.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Enterprise Government Licensing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Cobwebs Technologies product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cobwebs Technologies develops and sells AI-powered Web Intelligence (WEBINT) and open-source intelligence (OSINT) software for law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and government customers. Its core products include Webloc (ad-based geolocation surveillance), Tangles (AI-powered phone-tracking), and a comprehensive OSINT platform that analyzes surface, deep, and dark web sources with facial recognition and geofencing capabilities. The company sells primarily through multi-year government licensing contracts.
Product overview
Cobwebs Technologies was an Israeli OSINT and surveillance company that developed advanced intelligence tools for law enforcement and government agencies. Its core products included Webloc (ad-based geolocation surveillance tracking 500+ million devices), Tangles (AI-powered phone-tracking software), and a comprehensive OSINT platform with capabilities including facial recognition and geofencing. In July 2023, Cobwebs Technologies was acquired by US firm PenLink, which now offers these products as part of its unified digital intelligence platform alongside its own modules including CoAnalyst (generative AI), Digital Evidence, Data Analytics, Live Communication, Reports & Alerts, and Data Visualizations. The platform serves law enforcement, national security, government, defense, financial services, and enterprise sectors globally.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Webloc: Geolocation surveillance system developed by Cobwebs Technologies that tracks mobile devices through digital advertising data. The system collects data from up to 500 million mobile devices worldwide.
- Tangles
Products and services
- Webloc Ad-based geolocation surveillance system that collects data from up to 500 million mobile devices worldwide through digital advertising, enabling warrantless tracking of phones. Developed for law enforcement and intelligence agencies for location-based investigations.
- Tangles AI-powered phone-tracking surveillance software that enables warrantless device tracking through scraping location data from third-party commercial sources. Supports geofencing, facial recognition, and data analysis across various online sources for law enforcement investigations.
- Cobwebs OSINT Platform AI-powered open-source intelligence platform providing comprehensive insights from surface, deep, and dark web sources and integrated data sources for law enforcement, intelligence, and national security agencies.
Quantifiable outcome
- 500 million mobile devices can be tracked worldwide
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Cobwebs Technologies
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Cobwebs Technologies technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability8 records
Feature5 records
Cobwebs Technologies partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- SCI-Network Ltd.coreSCI-Network Ltd. is a Hungarian broker company that serves as the intermediary for Cobwebs/PenLink products in Hungary. The company purchases Israeli licenses from Cobwebs Technologies and resells them to Hungarian law enforcement and intelligence agencies, reportedly marking up costs by up to 300%. SCI-Network facilitated license renewals for Webloc and other Cobwebs products in March 2026, weeks before Hungary's parliamentary elections. The company is also linked to development of a new mobile spyware described as a 'successor to Pegasus'.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cobwebs Technologies competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Magnet Forensics (Grayshift): Digital forensics and evidence recovery platform for law enforcement investigations. Comparable to Cobwebs' Digital Evidence module and broader investigative workflows.
- Dataminr: AI-driven real-time intelligence platform detecting early signals from public data sources for government, news, and enterprise clients. Comparable to Cobwebs in OSINT and real-time threat detection use cases.
- Cellebrite: Mobile forensics and device-tracking vendor widely used by law enforcement globally. Closely comparable to Cobwebs' Tangles product in police and intelligence workflows.
- Babel Street: US-based OSINT and web intelligence platform serving defense, intelligence, and law enforcement with social media and dark web analytics. Directly competes with Cobwebs' OSINT platform across federal agencies.
Broad incumbents
- Palantir Technologies: Data analytics and intelligence platform with deep government and defense penetration. Overlaps with Cobwebs on OSINT-driven analytics but addresses a much wider mission set.
- PenLink: Cobwebs' parent company and a 35+ year incumbent in lawful intelligence and digital evidence collection for law enforcement. Cobwebs' Webloc and Tangles are now sold through this broader platform.
- Recorded Future (Mastercard): Large-scale threat intelligence platform owned by Mastercard, serving government and enterprise. Overlaps with Cobwebs' OSINT capabilities but with a broader threat-intel portfolio.
Emerging players
- Berla (iVe): Vehicle and IoT forensics specialist serving law enforcement. Adjacent to Cobwebs' device-tracking and OSINT offerings within digital investigations.
- Kaseware: Investigation and case management platform for law enforcement and corporate security. Comparable to the case-management layer around Cobwebs' OSINT and analytics tools.
- Veritone: AI-powered analytics platform with law enforcement and government applications including facial recognition and audio/video intelligence. Comparable to Cobwebs on AI-driven surveillance analytics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cobwebs Technologies social profiles
Digital presenceCobwebs Technologies compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Cobwebs Technologies financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cobwebs Technologies leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Cobwebs Technologies funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cobwebs Technologies M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cobwebs Technologies
What does Cobwebs Technologies do?
Cobwebs Technologies develops and sells AI-powered Web Intelligence (WEBINT) and open-source intelligence (OSINT) software for law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and government customers. Its core products include Webloc (ad-based geolocation surveillance), Tangles (AI-powered phone-tracking), and a comprehensive OSINT platform that analyzes surface, deep, and dark web sources with facial recognition and geofencing capabilities. The company sells primarily through multi-year government licensing contracts.
Is Cobwebs Technologies a public or private company?
Cobwebs Technologies is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Cobwebs Technologies founded?
Cobwebs Technologies was founded in 2012. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Cobwebs Technologies based?
Cobwebs Technologies is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cobwebs Technologies make money?
One revenue line is on record: software Licensing - Government/Law Enforcement.
Who are Cobwebs Technologies's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Magnet Forensics (Grayshift), Dataminr, Cellebrite and Babel Street. Broad incumbents are Palantir Technologies, PenLink and Recorded Future (Mastercard). Emerging players are Berla (iVe), Kaseware and Veritone.
Does Cobwebs Technologies have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cobwebs Technologies.
What industry is Cobwebs Technologies in?
Cobwebs Technologies's product category is OSINT and Digital Intelligence Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAKAEAF, Digital/Online Investigations & OSINT (Non-cyber), with a secondary code of BPAKAHAO, Fraud, Cybercrime Investigations & Brand/Dark Web Monitoring. Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7372.