Testing automation platform Tricentis acquires Waldo

Tricentis, a test automation platform that has acquired quite a few testing services and startups over the years, is making another M&A move with the acquisition of Waldo, an automated testing tool for mobile development teams.

I have covered Waldo several times over the past few years. The company has raised a seed round led by First Round Capital (with Josh Kopelman) and a $15 million Series A round led by Insight Partners — Tricentis is also backed by Insight Partners. Other investors include Matrix Partners and several angel investors.

Terms of the Waldo acquisition remain undisclosed. Waldo’s no-code mobile testing product will join Tricentis’ other mobile testing offerings, such as Testim Mobile and Tosca Mobile.

Waldo lets you upload your app’s executable (.ipa or .apk files) and run it in your browser window. From there, you can record some common interactions, such as the signup flow or the transaction flow.

After that, every time you submit a new build of your mobile app, Waldo runs the same tests on several devices with different screen sizes, languages and operating system versions. It integrates with your continuous integration (CI) pipeline.

Waldo should be able to identify buttons even if the text is different or the position on the screen has changed due to screen resolution differences. If something goes wrong, developers receive a notification and can see the replay of the test.

“The number and complexity of mobile applications continues to increase with no signs of slowing down,” Tricentis chairman and CEO Kevin Thompson said in a statement. “We believe the combination of what Waldo brings from a depth-of-knowledge and technology perspective combined with what Tricentis offers in our breadth-of-test automation expertise will allow us to deliver higher-quality mobile applications at the speed and scale businesses require.”

In particular, Waldo’s iOS simulator and Android emulator can power a scalable testing environment. Combining Waldo’s product with Tricentis’ customer base and reach makes sense.