HCLTech, an Indian technology services major, plans to acquire Robotiq.ai, a Zagreb-based robotic process automation specialist, through its HCLSoftware division in an all-cash transaction. The deal values the Croatian company at €9 million and will be executed via HCL Technologies Austria GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary. The transaction is expected to close by late November 2026, marking a significant exit for the Central and Eastern European enterprise software sector.
The acquisition reflects a broader shift in corporate investment strategy, as organisations move beyond initial generative AI pilots toward deploying functional automation agents capable of managing intricate operational processes. HCLTech faces integration obstacles stemming from outdated enterprise systems that lack contemporary API infrastructure. By acquiring Robotiq.ai, the company gains access to Central and Eastern European engineering talent to address this critical operational challenge and strengthen its automation portfolio.
Filling the automation gap when APIs are unavailable
Agentic artificial intelligence has emerged as a cornerstone of enterprise digital transformation, but its practical application often encounters obstacles when encountering legacy business software systems. Through the Robotiq.ai acquisition, HCLSoftware intends to expand the capabilities of its HCL UnO Agentic platform beyond initial analytical functions. When conventional APIs prove inadequate or absent, Robotiq.ai's automation bots can bridge the gap by automating manual workflows across disconnected systems, functioning as virtual workforce participants.
Kalyan Kumar, President of HCLSoftware, underscores the importance of this operational solution for multinational enterprises. According to Kumar, "Enterprises are looking beyond AI experimentation toward production-scale automation that is secure, governed and reliable."
Robotiq.ai strengthens HCL UnO Agentic by combining orchestration with enterprise-grade execution, helping customers confidently deploy and scale agentic AI across their operations.
Kalyan Kumar, President of HCLSoftware
From Zagreb to multinational deployment
Robotiq.ai was established in August 2018, drawing on extensive consulting expertise to free workers from monotonous activities such as data entry between systems, generating multi-source reports, transferring files, and handling routine customer service tasks.
The Zagreb firm rapidly gained market acceptance within sectors subject to stringent regulatory requirements and high data volumes. Its RPA solution, which includes ISO-certified security protocols, adaptable installation methods, and detailed compliance records, now operates within major financial institutions, insurance corporations, and telecom operators across Croatia and neighbouring territories.
Robotiq.ai has demonstrated consistent financial performance ahead of the acquisition announcement. Company filings show €1.4 million in revenue for the year ending December 2025, alongside a net profit of €200,000 and shareholder equity of €800,000 in the same period, demonstrating operational viability and market validation before HCLTech's €9 million valuation.
Enterprise automation as a strategic asset
For founders across Central and Eastern Europe, this transaction exemplifies a consistent pattern: developing technically sophisticated, practical enterprise software solutions frequently results in profitable, strategically valuable transactions. While consumer-facing applications dominate media coverage, the foundational infrastructure that enables AI to function within rigid organisational environments represents the genuine competitive advantage.
Incorporating RPA into an AI agent's operational framework means automation transcends text generation; it actively engages with user interfaces and completes data entry tasks that personnel would otherwise execute by hand.
Darko Jovišić, CEO and Co-founder of Robotiq.ai, characterises the acquisition as a natural progression for expanding his firm's technological reach. Jovišić states, "We built Robotiq.ai on a simple belief: automation should be useful, fast to deploy, and reliable in production."
Joining HCLSoftware gives our technology the enterprise reach, scale, and platform. Together with HCLSoftware, customers get automation that doesn't stop at the task – it becomes part of an orchestrated, governed process across the entire enterprise.
Darko Jovišić, CEO and Co-founder of Robotiq.ai
As enterprise automation infrastructure evolves, the incorporation of European technical expertise into multinational technology corporations demonstrates changing patterns in the enterprise software market. The critical question is no longer about isolated AI intelligence, but rather about translating that intelligence into measurable operational improvements within real-world corporate environments.
