Microsoft acquires search startup Powerset

Microsoft has acquired Powerset, a US-based search startup whose technology attempts to understand the full meaning of phrases and not just keywords. With this acquisition, Microsoft hopes to take Search to the next level by adding understanding of the intent and meaning behind the words in searches and web pages.

“Microsoft shares our goal to improve search through deeper analysis of queries and documents, and understands that our technology and expertise will play a key role in the evolution of search,” Powerset has said. “We believe that this (the acquisition of Powerset by Microsoft) is the fastest way to bring our technology to market at a large scale.”