The acquisition of OutKept and Cyberly signals a broader shift in European cybersecurity, as AI-related threats push software security companies into employee protection and identity governance.
Belgian cybersecurity startup Aikido Security is expanding beyond application protection with the acquisition of two European companies, bringing employee security, AI governance and phishing prevention into its growing platform.
According to an October 26 report by Vestbee, Aikido acquired Belgian cybersecurity company OutKept and Poland-based Cyberly in September 2026. The acquisitions support Noon, its newly launched workforce security business.
The move represents a strategic expansion for Aikido, which has traditionally focused on protecting software code, cloud environments and applications.
Rather than concentrating exclusively on vulnerabilities in software, the company is positioning itself to address security threats arising from employees, devices and increasingly autonomous AI tools.
Two Acquisitions Bring Different Security Capabilities
Founded in 2020 by Simon Bauwens and Thibaut De Maerteleire, OutKept developed a phishing simulation and security awareness platform.
Before the acquisition, OutKept served more than 1,000 organizations and 250,000 users across over 100 countries. In 2024, it raised €500,000 in seed financing, including €250,000 from Presto Ventures.
Cyberly, founded in Poland in 2024, specializes in AI-driven attack simulations and AI usage monitoring.
The company reportedly protected more than 300,000 employees across over 200 organizations before joining Aikido.
According to Aikido’s official announcement, both founding teams are participating in the development of Noon.
Cyberly co-founder Alex Horlach said the partnership would extend Aikido’s approach to securing software into workforce protection.
OutKept co-founder Bauwens similarly emphasized that AI has changed how organizations need to prepare employees for cyberattacks.
Noon Brings AI Governance Into Workforce Security
Aikido introduced Noon on October 20, combining email security, device protection, phishing simulations and employee training with AI governance capabilities.
The platform is designed to identify AI tools and Model Context Protocol connections used by employees, monitor access to sensitive company information and enforce security policies.
It also incorporates simulations involving phishing, voice impersonation, text-message fraud and deepfakes.
Training can be delivered through workplace applications including Slack, Microsoft Teams and Google Chat.
The company argues that protecting software alone is insufficient when employees increasingly use external AI systems and grant agents access to corporate data.
Europe’s Cybersecurity Startups Are Expanding Their Scope
The acquisitions illustrate an emerging opportunity for European cybersecurity companies: connecting application security with employee behavior and AI access management.
For technology founders, this expansion raises questions about whether businesses will increasingly favor integrated security platforms over separate tools for developers, IT departments and workforce protection.
However, combining several security capabilities also creates operational challenges involving system integration, data visibility and policy management.
The broader significance is Aikido’s shift from protecting what companies build to protecting how their employees and AI systems operate.
Whether this strategy becomes a competitive advantage will depend on how effectively Noon integrates the acquired technologies and demonstrates measurable improvements in enterprise security.
