Palo Alto Networks paid $500M for AI helpdesk startup Console, sources say
marcbhargava · x · 2026-09-03
Palo Alto Networks paid $500 million in cash and stock to acquire Console, a two-year-old startup using AI agents to automate routine IT help desk tasks, per TechCrunch sources. The deal was announced but terms weren't disclosed.
Founded in 2024, Console raised $29 million total: a $6.2M seed led by Thrive Capital and a $23M Series A co-led by DST Global and Thrive, and was valued at $157M pre-sale — a quick return for investors including SV Angel, Abstract Ventures, and Palo Alto CEO Nikesh Arora as an angel. Console will be integrated into Palo Alto's Cortex platform, letting security teams investigate and resolve alerts via natural language. Industry watchers say the deal leaves Sequoia-backed Serval as the de-facto startup leader in AI IT service automation.
Related event: Palo Alto Networks Acquires AI Startup Console for $500M(2 posts)→
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