Global software giant Adobe has acquired Indian AI startup Rilo, marking another significant moment for India’s rapidly growing artificial intelligence ecosystem. The acquisition comes less than a year after Rilo was launched, highlighting the growing global interest in Indian founders building products around AI automation and workplace productivity.

Founded in September 2025 by IIT Bombay alumni Dhruv Jaglan and Georgi Boby, Rilo was built with a simple mission: make complex automation accessible to people without technical expertise.

The financial terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed.

Making AI Automation Simpler

Rilo developed a platform that allows users to create and manage complex workflows using plain English commands. Instead of requiring coding knowledge or technical expertise, users could simply describe the task they wanted completed.

AI agents would then build and execute those workflows across hundreds of digital tools and platforms.

The approach positioned Rilo within the growing AI automation space, where companies are increasingly developing intelligent agents capable of handling repetitive business tasks independently.

For businesses, such platforms could reduce manual work and allow teams to focus more on strategic and creative responsibilities.

From Automation Tool to AI Employees

As the startup evolved, Rilo expanded its focus beyond workflow automation and began positioning its technology as a platform for “AI employees.”

These AI-powered agents were designed specifically for marketing and go-to-market teams. They could assist with a range of activities, including competitive intelligence, prospect research, LinkedIn outreach, Reddit marketing, social media content, and campaign research.

The platform quickly gained attention in the emerging market for AI workplace assistants and became one of the early competitors in the rapidly expanding AI agent ecosystem.

Within months of its launch, Rilo reportedly attracted more than 10,000 users, demonstrating strong early demand for its automation capabilities.

Backed by India’s Leading Investors

Before the acquisition, Rilo had secured backing from prominent Indian venture capital firms including Peak XV Partners and Z47/DeVC.

The startup was reportedly valued at around $10 million during its early funding journey.

Its rapid growth and investor backing reflected the increasing confidence in Indian founders building globally relevant AI products. Over the past few years, India’s startup ecosystem has seen a growing number of entrepreneurs working on generative AI, enterprise automation, developer tools, and AI infrastructure.

Rilo’s acquisition by Adobe adds another example of an Indian-built AI company attracting the attention of a global technology leader.

Adobe’s Growing Interest in Indian Innovation

This is Adobe’s second known acquisition of an Indian company.

In 2023, Adobe acquired Rephrase.ai, a generative AI video startup founded in India. With Rilo now joining Adobe, the company appears to be strengthening its access to AI talent and technology emerging from the Indian startup ecosystem.

Adobe has been aggressively expanding its artificial intelligence capabilities across creative software, marketing technology, enterprise solutions, and automation tools.

Rilo’s expertise in AI-powered workflows and autonomous agents could potentially complement Adobe’s broader strategy of building smarter tools for businesses and creative professionals.

A Signal for India’s AI Startup Ecosystem

The acquisition highlights how quickly Indian AI startups can now move from launch to global recognition.

With strong engineering talent, access to global markets, and increasing investor interest, Indian founders are building AI products that are competing internationally from day one.

For India’s startup ecosystem, Rilo’s journey represents more than just an acquisition. It signals a growing opportunity for young AI companies to build globally relevant technology and attract attention from some of the world’s biggest technology companies.

As the race to build the next generation of AI products intensifies, Indian startups are increasingly becoming part of the global innovation conversation.

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