HTEC, a global AI-first digital product development and engineering company, announced on August 5, 2025, its expansion into Latin America through the acquisition of Cognits, a nearshore technology partner based in Austin, Texas, with a delivery center in Guatemala and a growing talent pool across the region. This strategic move enhances HTEC’s global presence and nearshore capabilities for U.S. clients.
HTEC acquires Cognits, expanding into Latin America, announced August 5, 2025.
Cognits, on the 2025 Inc. 5000 list, specializes in financial services engineering.
Acquisition strengthens same-time-zone delivery for U.S. clients.
Guatemala emerges as a key tech talent hub for HTEC’s LATAM strategy.
Cognits team to work on AI-driven, high-impact global projects.
Integration underway, aligning with HTEC’s engineering excellence vision.
“Expanding to LATAM is a strategic path forward to further strengthen our global presence and unlock the same time zone delivery capabilities to our U.S.-based clients,” said Aleksandar Cabrilo, CEO of HTEC. The acquisition leverages Cognits’ established presence in Guatemala, recognized on the 2025 Inc. 5000 list for its growth and client impact, to seed HTEC’s broader LATAM expansion.
Founded in 2013, Cognits delivers user-centered software engineering, primarily for U.S. financial services clients. “Joining forces with HTEC allows us to take our team and our clients to the next level,” said Trevor Kale, CEO of Cognits. “With HTEC, we gain access to some of the world’s most cutting-edge projects and forward-thinking companies.” Cognits’ reputation in Guatemala’s talent market positions it as a foundation for HTEC’s regional growth.
The acquisition enhances HTEC’s ability to offer faster delivery and same-time-zone collaboration for U.S. clients, tapping into Latin America’s growing tech talent pool. “This is an exciting moment for us,” said Ricardo Mazariegos, VP of Delivery at Cognits. “We’ll work side-by-side with global teams on innovative, high-impact projects and adopt an AI-first approach.” The move opens new opportunities for Cognits’ team to engage in AI-driven projects.
Latin America’s tech ecosystem is booming, with Guatemala emerging as a key hub due to its proximity and time-zone alignment with the U.S. The region’s tech talent pool is growing, with 156% more hires in 2021 compared to other regions, driven by local and foreign demand. HTEC’s acquisition aligns with this trend, following moves like Nubank’s 2020 acquisition of Cognitect to bolster engineering capabilities.
This acquisition builds on HTEC’s expansion efforts, including a €60 million EBRD loan and new offices in Budapest and Vienna. The integration of Cognits’ 100+ engineers into HTEC’s 2,000-strong global workforce strengthens its capacity to deliver AI-first solutions across FinTech, MedTech, and other sectors.
HTEC’s acquisition of Cognits marks a pivotal step in its global expansion, positioning Guatemala as a tech talent hub and enhancing nearshore delivery for U.S. clients. With a focus on AI-driven innovation, HTEC is set to drive value in the rapidly growing Latin American tech market.
HTEC Group Inc. is a global AI-first provider of strategic, software and hardware embedded design and engineering services, specializing in Advanced Technologies, Financial Services, MedTech, Automotive, Telco, and Enterprise Software & Platforms. HTEC has a proven track record of helping Fortune 500 and hyper-growth companies solve complex engineering challenges, drive efficiency, reduce risks, and accelerate time to market. HTEC prides itself on attracting top talent and has strategically chosen the locations of its 20+ excellence centers to enable this.
TechIntelPro empowers B2B technology decision-makers with the latest industry trends, deep insights, leadership perspectives and actionable intelligence to drive both organizational and professional milestones—and thrive on the tech pulse.