Palo Alto Networks has purchased Console, a two-year-old startup that automates routine IT help-desk tasks using AI agents, for $500 million in a combination of cash and stock, two people familiar with the deal said. The companies announced the acquisition on Tuesday but did not disclose the deal terms in their public statement.
Console’s background and funding
Console was founded in 2024 by Andrei Serban; his previous startup, the code-security platform Fuzzbuzz, was acquired by Rippling. Console raised a total of $29 million across two funding rounds: a $6.2 million seed round led by Thrive Capital and a $23 million Series A co-led by DST Global and Thrive.
According to PitchBook, the company’s pre-sale valuation was $157 million. Investors included Thrive Capital, DST Global, SV Angel and Abstract Ventures. Palo Alto Networks CEO Nikesh Arora also participated as an angel investor prior to the acquisition. Palo Alto Networks declined to comment beyond its announcement.
Product, customers and market positioning
Console’s product automated tasks such as password resets, granting access to applications like Figma and Miro, and basic troubleshooting without direct human intervention. Its customer list included Ramp, Flock Safety and Scale AI.
As a startup, Console primarily competed with Serval, another challenger to ServiceNow. Serval raised a $75 million Series B round led by Sequoia last December and reached a $1 billion valuation. One investor who is not a backer of Serval told TechCrunch that with Console’s sale, Serval remains the most important startup to watch in the space of automating IT service management.
Integration into Cortex
Palo Alto Networks said it will integrate Console into Cortex, its platform that uses AI to detect and neutralize threats. The company said Console’s agent-like capabilities will enable security teams to investigate and remediate alerts using natural language, equipping Cortex with the “arms and legs” to deliver autonomous security outcomes across the enterprise, language attributed to Nikesh Arora in Palo Alto’s statement.
Part of a broader acquisition spree in 2026
PitchBook lists Console as Palo Alto Networks’ seventh acquisition in 2026. Other venture-backed companies acquired by the cybersecurity firm this year include Chronosphere, an observability platform backed by Greylock and Lux Capital that was discussed at a $3.35 billion valuation, and Koi, a cyber startup backed by Battery and Team8, purchased for $400 million.
Why it matters
The deal underscores a broader push by major cybersecurity vendors to fold AI-driven automation into their product suites, particularly for incident handling and routine operational tasks. For Palo Alto Networks, Console’s technology accelerates the company’s ability to provide autonomous security and streamline incident response across large enterprises.
