Collibra Acquires Data Access Startup Raito

Collibra, a Brussels-based data governance platform, has become the latest company to acquire a data-focused startup to broaden its capabilities in the AI era.

On Thursday, Collibra announced it had acquired Raito, a fellow Brussels-based startup founded in 2021 that helps organizations control who can access internal data—whether employees or customers.

The company did not disclose the financial details of the deal. Raito had previously raised $4 million from investors including Dawn Capital, Crane Venture Partners, and Collibra itself.

Data Access Challenges Grow with the Rise of AI and Automation

Collibra CEO and founder Felix Van de Maele told TechCrunch that while data access control isn’t a new challenge, it’s growing more complex as more teams request access for AI tools and automated workflows.

“We’ve heard from customers and large enterprises that managing data access at scale has become a major challenge,” said Van de Maele. “Traditional methods no longer scale—they’re too fragile and rely on manual workflows and static policies.”

He noted that while Collibra already offers a product called Collibra Protect, which handles some access control, its main focus is data privacy. Raito’s technology will enhance and automate that functionality.

Data Access Challenges Grow with the Rise of AI and Automation

Raito joins a competitive field that includes established players like SailPoint and SecureAuth. However, Van de Maele said acquiring Raito made more sense than partnering with a legacy provider, as the startup is cloud-native and built to meet the demands of the AI era.

The fact that Raito was founded by former Collibra employees was also a positive factor.

“We’re also looking for teams that are eager to keep building,” Van de Maele said. “This isn’t the end—it’s really just the start of the journey.”

Wave of Data Acquisitions Reflects Push for Stronger AI-Ready Governance

This deal is part of a broader trend of data-related acquisitions, as companies race to strengthen their data governance capabilities in response to rapid AI advancements. Just last week, Salesforce announced plans to acquire Informatica for similar reasons, and earlier in May, both Alation and ServiceNow made comparable moves.

Van de Maele noted that recent AI advances have highlighted just how fragmented many organizations’ data stacks have become, due to a flood of single-purpose data tools entering the market over the past decade.

“This fragmentation in governance has become a major issue,” he said. “That’s why we were excited to acquire Raito and integrate it into Collibra as part of our unified platform for data and AI governance.”

Founded in 2008, Collibra was an early mover in the data governance space. It has raised nearly $600 million in funding from major investors like Index Ventures, Sequoia, and Tiger Global, and serves clients such as Heineken, Credit Suisse, and SAP.

Read the original article on: Techcrunch

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