Cybersecurity enterprise Palo Alto Networks has acquired Console, a two-year-old artificial intelligence startup specializing in automated IT service desk operations. According to sources familiar with the transaction, the acquisition is valued at $500 million in a combination of cash and stock.
While both companies officially announced the acquisition, they did not publicly release the financial details of the transaction. The acquisition brings Console's autonomous AI agent technology directly into Palo Alto Networks' broader enterprise software portfolio.
Integrating Agentic AI into the Cortex Security Platform
Palo Alto Networks announced plans to integrate Console’s technology into Cortex, its primary platform designed to detect and neutralize threats using artificial intelligence. By integrating Console’s agentic functionality, security teams can now investigate and manage system alerts using natural language commands.
Addressing the acquisition, Palo Alto Networks CEO Nikesh Arora stated that the integration gives the Cortex platform “the arms and legs to deliver autonomous security outcomes across the entire enterprise.”
Console's Capabilities and Company Growth
Founded in 2024 by Andrei Serban following the sale of his previous code-security firm Fuzzbuzz to Rippling, Console developed specialized AI agents to automate routine IT tasks. The software operates without direct human intervention to perform several everyday administrative functions:
- Executing automated user password resets.
- Granting app access permissions for software such as Figma and Miro.
- Handling routine technical troubleshooting for internal staff.
Prior to the acquisition, Console built a customer base that included companies like Ramp, Flock Safety, and Scale AI. The startup was previously valued at $157 million, having raised $29 million across two venture funding rounds. Seed funding of $6.2 million was led by Thrive Capital, while a $23 million Series A round was co-led by DST Global and Thrive Capital. Early investors also included SV Angel, Abstract Ventures, and Nikesh Arora acting as an angel investor.
Market Dynamics and Strategic Expansion
In the automated IT support sector, Console competed against rival startup Serval, which reached a $1 billion valuation following a $75 million Series B round led by Sequoia. Serval has since expanded beyond IT support into HR, legal, and financial department automation.
This deal marks Palo Alto Networks' seventh acquisition in 2026. Other major purchases by the company this year include observability software platform Chronosphere for $3.35 billion and cybersecurity firm Koi for $400 million.