Collibra Acquires Raito: Expanding Data Access Capabilities
Collibra Acquires Raito to Enhance Data Access Capabilities
Collibra, a leading data governance platform headquartered in Brussels, has recently completed the acquisition of a data-focused company. This strategic move aims to broaden its service portfolio in response to the growing demands of the AI era.
Raito Acquisition Details
The announcement, made on Thursday, revealed Collibra’s purchase of Raito, a data access startup established in 2021. Like Collibra, Raito is based in Brussels and specializes in assisting organizations with the management of data access permissions for both employees and customers.
The financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed by Collibra. Previously, Raito had secured $4 million in venture funding from investors such as Dawn Capital, Crane Venture Partners, and, notably, Collibra itself.
Addressing the Growing Challenge of Data Access Management
According to Collibra’s founder and CEO, Felix Van de Maele, while data access management isn’t a novel issue for enterprises, its complexity is escalating. This is particularly true as more departments require access for AI agents and automated workflows.
“Our customers and large organizations have communicated that managing data access at scale presents a significant challenge,” Van de Maele explained. “Traditional methods are proving inadequate; they lack scalability and rely on manual processes and inflexible, static policies.”
Complementing Existing Collibra Offerings
Van de Maele further noted that Collibra already offers a product, Collibra Protect, which addresses aspects of access control. However, its primary focus is on data privacy. Integrating Raito’s technology will enable Collibra to strengthen and automate this offering.
Why Raito? A Cloud-Native Solution
Several companies specialize in data access, including established players like SailPoint and SecureAuth. Van de Maele stated that acquiring Raito, rather than partnering with a legacy provider, was the optimal choice due to Raito’s cloud-native architecture and its design for the current AI landscape.
The fact that Raito was founded by former Collibra employees was also a contributing factor.
“We were also seeking teams eager to continue innovation,” Van de Maele said. “This isn’t an ending, but rather the beginning of a new phase in their journey.”
A Trend of Data Company Acquisitions
This acquisition is part of a broader trend of data companies being acquired to address data governance gaps. Companies are working to reinforce their infrastructure to adapt to advancements in AI. Salesforce recently announced its intention to acquire Informatica for similar reasons. Both Alation and ServiceNow also completed comparable acquisitions earlier in May.
Data Fragmentation and the Need for Unified Governance
Van de Maele emphasized that the rise of AI has highlighted the fragmented nature of many organizations’ data stacks. Over the past decade, numerous vendors have introduced specialized data solutions.
“This fragmentation of governance has become a major obstacle,” Van de Maele stated. “We are excited to integrate Raito into Collibra, creating a unified governance platform for both data and AI.”
Collibra’s Background and Client Base
Founded in 2008, Collibra has been a pioneer in the data governance sector. The company has raised approximately $600 million in venture capital from firms including Index Ventures, Sequoia, and Tiger Global. Collibra currently serves a diverse range of enterprises, including Heineken, Credit Suisse, and SAP.
