Is Recently-Acquired Nuiku a 'Next-Generation NLP Platform'? A Cautionary Tale.

The headline of a May 24, 2016 press release reads, "Nortek Acquires Next-Generation Language Processing Platform Nuiku." The release calls Nuiku "a next-generation natural language processing platform that facilitates sophisticated voice control across home automation and other applications." I'm into natural language processing -- I follow NLP and applications as an industry analyst and consultant -- so when my friends at Slator asked my take on the transaction, I thought I'd take a closer look. How could I not, reading that "Nuiku is a leader in natural language processing," even though the claimant is biased: Nortek CEO Michael J. Clarke? So was this a successful exit pure and simple -- a favorable sign for other NLP start-ups -- or is there more one can learn and infer from the acquisition?