Collibra Expands AI Data Governance with Raito Acquisition

In an era where artificial intelligence is reshaping enterprise operations, managing data access efficiently has become a critical challenge. Collibra, a Brussels-based data governance platform, recently acquired Raito, a cloud-native startup specializing in data access management, to address this pressing need.

Founded in 2021, Raito helps companies control which employees and customers can access internal data. This capability is becoming increasingly vital as AI agents and automated workflows demand broader and more dynamic data access across departments. Traditional manual and static policy-based approaches are no longer sufficient to scale with these demands.

Collibra's CEO, Felix Van de Maele, emphasized that while data access management isn’t new, the explosion of AI use cases has made it a bigger headache for data teams. Raito’s technology will enhance Collibra’s existing product, Collibra Protect, by automating and scaling access controls to keep data secure and accessible where needed.

What sets Raito apart is its cloud-native architecture and focus on the current AI moment, making it a strategic fit for Collibra’s unified governance platform. Interestingly, Raito was founded by former Collibra employees, ensuring alignment in vision and culture for ongoing innovation.

This acquisition reflects a broader industry trend where companies like Salesforce, Alation, and ServiceNow are also acquiring data governance startups to consolidate fragmented data stacks. The proliferation of single-point data solutions over the past decade has created governance silos that hinder AI adoption and data security.

Collibra, founded in 2008, has been a pioneer in data governance, raising nearly $600 million from top venture firms. Its clientele includes major enterprises like Heineken, Credit Suisse, and SAP, underscoring the critical role of governance in large-scale AI deployments.

As AI continues to permeate business processes, the need for scalable, automated, and secure data access management will only grow. Collibra’s acquisition of Raito positions it to lead this evolution, helping enterprises unify governance and unlock AI’s full potential without compromising security or compliance.