Microsoft has struck up a deal with the startup 6Wunderkinder GmbH, which is the maker of the Wunderlist app. The app is for making to-do lists.
This deal is estimated by insiders to be between $100 and $200 million. The startup is based in Berlin, and its to-do list format is designed to help users create grocery lists, plan holidays and more with ease.
Why did Microsoft acquire the startup on June 1? It is part of their strategy to flesh out its mobile apps line. Another activity taken by Microsoft within this plan has been offering its mobile version of Microsoft Office free of charge.
As well, the company recently attained two other mobile app creators. Those startups were Acompli Inc. in San Francisco, which makes mobile-email apps, and Sunrise Atelier Inc. in New York, which makes the Sunrise mobile calendar app. Once Microsoft acquired Acompli, they rebranded it to be Outlook for mobile.
All of 6Wunderkinder’s apps work on iOS, which is Apple’s operating system, and also on Android, which is Google Inc.’s OS. Obviously, both Google and Apple are big competitors for Microsoft.
Backers for 6Wunderkinder include Earlybird Venture Capital GmbH, Sequoia Capital, and European VCs Atomico. The acquisition, along with the other two startups that Microsoft bought lately, points to its progress in integrating productivity tools into mobile applications.
Even though acquired by Microsoft, 6Wunderkinder will remain based in Berlin. Plans are for them to start reporting to Redmond, Wash., which is where Microsoft HQ is located. As well, there has been a link created between 6Wunderkinder and Sunrise, which means users will be able to open up their Sunrise calendar apps to put in to-do items.
It will be interesting to see if Microsoft buys more startups too and the productivity apps that are part of the deals. 6Wunderkinder was founded in 2011.