Cohere and Aleph Alpha Sign Definitive Agreement for Combination
Berlin and Toronto, 16 September 2026 - Cohere and Aleph Alpha have signed a definitive agreement to merge, five months after initially announcing their plans. The combined company will operate under the name Cohere, with dual headquarters in Berlin and Toronto, and is expected to employ over 1,000 staff upon completion of the deal, pending final regulatory approval.
"No government or enterprise should have to choose between capable AI and control over their technology," stated Aidan Gomez, Cohere's CEO.
The planned combination follows their initial announcement in April. The merged entity will leverage its global reach and infrastructure to offer advanced AI solutions while adhering to stringent data sovereignty regulations in both Canada and Germany.
Key Highlights:
- Dual Headquarters: Berlin and Toronto
- Staff: Over 1,000 worldwide upon closure
- Research Centers: Aleph Alpha's Heidelberg office will remain open
- Focus: Specialized language models for governments and regulated industries
- Regulatory Compliance: Adherence to data protection laws in both Canada and Germany
Leadership Appointments:
Two Aleph Alpha executives will join Cohere’s leadership team upon closure:
- Ilhan Scheer, Co-CEO of Aleph Alpha, will become Cohere's COO. He is also the founder of fable+, a data analytics company acquired by Accenture.
- Samuel Weinbach, Co-Founder and Co-Chief Research Officer at Aleph Alpha, will take on the role of Cohere’s Chief Research Officer.
"Digital sovereignty is not about going it alone," said Scheer. "Cohere is a strong strategic fit for our specialized language models, enabling us to reach more organizations worldwide."