What Cogniware does

Cogniware, s.r.o. is a Prague-based cognitive software company founded in 2014 that builds AI-powered platforms for investigation, evidence analysis, and enterprise data discovery. Its primary offering, Cogniware ARGOS, is a modular investigation ecosystem combining graph-based link analysis (ArangoDB), natural language processing, generative AI, facial recognition, voice recognition, and object detection, with an integration to IBM watsonx.data for large-scale financial crime analytics. Its secondary line, Cogniware Explorer, is an enterprise search and data discovery platform that connects 20+ data sources via NLP annotation, augmented by a GDPR & CCPA compliance module for data subject requests and processing records.

The company sells primarily to law enforcement units, anti-terrorism agencies, financial intelligence units, and government institutions through an enterprise field sales motion complemented by a global partner network of resellers and system integrators across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and North America. Revenue is generated through subscription software licenses for the Argos and Explorer platforms (modular, with add-on pricing for individual AI capabilities) and professional services for implementation, integration, and training, delivered by IBM-certified architects and consultants. Pricing is quote-based with no public tiers, reflecting the bespoke nature of government and regulated enterprise deals.

Cogniware reports 50+ delivered projects across 17 countries and is led by CEO Jan Racko alongside CFO Marian Novodomec, COO (unnamed), Head of Product Development Martin Kovář, Head of Professional Services Dominik Franěk, and Senior Business Development Executive Tomáš Tunega. The company operates remote-first from Prague's Karlín district, has open engineering and architecture roles, and received a 2024 TA CR TREND Program grant for the Cogniware Insights 2.0 AI module initiative.

Name

Cogniware

Legal name

Cogniware, s.r.o.

Website

https://cogniware.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cogniware is a Prague-based cognitive software company that builds AI-powered investigation and data discovery platforms, including the modular Argos suite (investigation, facial, voice, and object recognition) and Cogniware Explorer enterprise search, sold primarily to law enforcement, anti-terrorism, financial intelligence, and government customers in 17 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Karlin

HQ country

Czechia

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Software Licenses: Sale of Argos and Cogniware Explorer software platforms with modular architecture allowing organizations to purchase specific modules for investigation, facial recognition, voice recognition, and object detection.
2. Professional Services: Implementation, consulting, and customization services delivered through certified architects, developers, and consultants. Includes system integration, training, and ongoing technical support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cogniware develops and sells Cogniware ARGOS, a modular AI-powered platform for investigation, evidence analysis, and pattern recognition, comprising integrated modules for case management, facial recognition, voice recognition, and object detection. The company also offers Cogniware Explorer, an enterprise data discovery and search solution with GDPR/CCPA compliance capabilities. The company provides professional services for implementation, customization, and integration, alongside IBM-based enterprise content management and Watson solutions.

Product overview

Cogniware is a Cognitive Software Company (Prague, Czech Republic) offering a dual-product portfolio spanning AI-powered investigation and data governance. The primary platform, Cogniware ARGOS, is a modular AI ecosystem for law enforcement, anti-terrorism, and fraud investigation — comprising four integrated modules: Investigation (case management and evidence analysis), Facial Recognition (biometric identification), Voice Recognition (speaker identification and audio transcription), and Object Detection (visual search in media archives). ARGOS integrates with IBM watsonx.data for scalable big data analytics. The second product line, Cogniware Explorer, is a data discovery and enterprise search platform that connects 20+ data sources with NLP annotation, available as a standalone tool or with the GDPR & CCPA compliance module. Cogniware delivers solutions to law enforcement and government customers across 17 countries through a global partner network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ARGOS: Modular AI-powered software for deep data analysis and investigation, featuring object detection, facial recognition, voice recognition, and evidence analysis. Built for managing criminal investigations, combating terrorism, and curbing fraud.
• Cogniware Explorer
• Cogniware Insights

Products and services

• Cogniware ARGOS Modular AI-powered investigation and analytics ecosystem combining investigation management, facial recognition, voice recognition, and object detection modules. Designed for law enforcement, anti-terrorism, and fraud investigation use cases.
• Argos Investigation

Quantifiable outcome

• 60% faster processing of suspicious transaction reports
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration20 records

AI capability12 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IBMcoreTechnology or IntegrationLong-standing partnership with IBM. Cogniware has certified architects, developers, and consultants for IBM solutions including watsonx.data, watsonx.ai, Enterprise Content Management, Watson Explorer, and i2. Integration of IBM watsonx.data lakehouse platform with Argos application using PrestoDB engines and Apache Iceberg format.
• ArangoDBcoreTechnology or IntegrationGraph database provider powering Argos platform's graph-based link analysis capabilities. Partner in 'Graph Hunter' webinar series exploring merging LLMs with Knowledge Graphs for crime and fraud investigation.
• Beyond DataminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpecialized in developing, implementing and integrating solutions around security, intelligence and investigation that help entities detect, disrupt and defeat sophisticated and complex threats.
• DateraminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorData management specialist enabling customers to efficiently store structured and unstructured data, understand them, and find new connections.
• Si3, Inc.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPioneers solutions with over three decades of cumulative experience spanning government, manufacturing, banking, and private sectors.
• Houston AnalyticsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides predictive analytics and knowledge driven management solutions and services.
• IWDT (Investment World for Development and Technology)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEstablished in 2007, recognized for tailored services and multi-services offerings in Middle East region.
• Gulf Business Machines (GBM)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeading end-to-end digital solutions provider offering region's broadest portfolio including digital infrastructure, digital business solutions, security and services in Middle East.
• RomerminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional expert in provision of technology services and solutions to businesses to create data driven business ecosystem in Africa.
• MDS for Computer SystemsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides professional and certified turnkey technology solutions, services, IT Security, Operation & Maintenance contracts for enterprise sites in Middle East.
• Unisys SwitzerlandminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBuilds high-performance, security-centric solutions for the most demanding businesses and governments.
• WirtuosminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSlovakian ICT solutions provider for private and public sector with expertise in custom software development, systems integration and web services leveraging IoT, AI and Machine learning technologies.
• FSJ SolutionsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBrings innovative solutions and thought leadership leveraging latest technologies like Cloud and Analytics in Africa.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• BAE Systems Applied Intelligence: Provides financial-crime, fraud-detection, and national-security analytics (NetReveal) to governments and financial institutions — overlaps directly with Cogniware's AML and investigation use cases.
• Quantexa: Decision-intelligence platform using graph analytics and AI for AML, fraud, and KYC investigations — competes directly with Cogniware's graph-based link analysis for financial-crime fighting.
• NICE Actimize: Enterprise AML, fraud, and financial-crime investigation platform sold to global banks and regulators — competes with Argos's financial-intelligence and suspicious-transaction-report workflows.
• Palantir Technologies: Sells AI-driven intelligence and investigation platforms (Gotham, Foundry) into defense, intelligence, and law-enforcement customers globally — directly competing with Cogniware's Argos for the same government analytics RFPs.
• Clearview AI: Facial-recognition vendor that sells identification against large face databases to law enforcement — directly competes with Cogniware's Argos Facial Recognition module for police customers.
• IBM i2: IBM's intelligence-analysis and link-analysis suite used by police, defense, and financial-crime units — Cogniware already integrates with i2 but also competes against it as a more modern, AI-native alternative.
• NEC (NeoFace): NEC's NeoFace facial-recognition platform is sold into law enforcement and government identity programs — directly competitive with Cogniware's Argos Facial Recognition module.
• Magnet Forensics: Digital forensics and investigation software used by law enforcement to recover and analyze evidence — overlaps with Cogniware's evidence-analysis and case-management modules.
• SAS Anti-Money Laundering: SAS's AML, sanctions, and financial-crimes analytics suite competes with Argos's suspicious-transaction-report processing in regulated financial institutions.

Emerging players

• BigID: Data-intelligence platform for data discovery, privacy, and GDPR/CCPA compliance — competes with Cogniware Explorer's compliance module for the same enterprise privacy officer buyer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cogniwareinvestigations

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cogniware