Amazon eyes messaging startup

Amazon may be looking to bolster its enterprise services offering with an innovative addition.



Corporate chatroom startup Slack Technologies has received inquiries of late about a potential takeover from technology companies, including Amazon. The company is valued at approximately $9 billion, according to Bloomberg.



Sources said in the report that the deal would help Amazon bolster its enterprise services, helping it to compete with rivals like Microsoft and Google. Slack’s chatroom technology would also augment Amazon’s ever-growing services portfolio. For example, the company’s cloud-hosting unit, Amazon Web Services, in February introduced a paid-for video and audio conferencing service -- Amazon Chime -- that lets users chat and share content.



The possible deal comes on the heels of Amazon’s blockbuster purchase of Whole Foods Market on Friday. The online giant acquired the grocer in an all cash transaction valued at $13.7 billion, or $42 a share.



The transaction is subject to approval by Whole Foods Market's shareholders, regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The parties expect to close the transaction during the second half of 2017.



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