Belgian cybersecurity company Aikido Security has made a big move after buying Israeli startup Root in a deal worth between 70 million and 100 million dollars. The acquisition has attracted attention across the global technology sector because both companies work in advanced cybersecurity solutions, and the deal shows how fast artificial intelligence has become important in digital security.
The purchase marks another major step for Aikido as the company continues to expand its position in the cybersecurity market. Experts say this deal reflects a larger shift in the tech industry, where security companies now focus heavily on artificial intelligence tools that can solve problems faster and with less human effort.
Aikido Has Grown at an Extremely Fast Pace
Aikido Security is a young cybersecurity company based in Ghent, Belgium. The company started in 2022 and has grown very quickly in a short period of time. Its main goal has always been simple. It helps developers and companies find security risks inside software before hackers can take advantage of them.
The company offers several security tools that help businesses protect applications, cloud systems, software code, and digital infrastructure. Developers use these tools to scan software and identify weaknesses before these weaknesses turn into serious security problems.
Earlier this year, Aikido reached a major milestone after investors valued the company at 1 billion dollars. This happened in January 2026 when the company raised 60 million dollars in a Series B funding round. That valuation officially gave Aikido unicorn status, a term used for private startup companies worth over 1 billion dollars.
Since then, the company has become one of Europe’s fastest growing cybersecurity firms.
Root Solves a Problem That Frustrates Software Teams
Root is an Israeli startup that focuses on software vulnerability repair. Before this deal, the company operated under the name Slim.AI before later becoming Root.
The company built technology that uses artificial intelligence to automatically repair open-source software vulnerabilities. Open-source software forms a major part of modern applications, but developers often face security risks when these software components contain weaknesses.
Usually, when developers discover a vulnerability inside software dependencies, they must upgrade to newer software versions. This process sounds simple, but many times these upgrades create compatibility issues and break important systems.
Root created a different solution for this problem.
Instead of forcing software teams to move to newer versions, Root uses AI agents that create custom security patches for the exact version already in use. This means companies can repair security flaws without changing the entire software setup.
This process saves valuable time and removes many technical risks.
AI Can Create Security Patches in Minutes
One of Root’s most valuable technologies lies in speed. The platform can detect software vulnerabilities and create verified security patches within 15 to 40 minutes.
This speed matters because cyber threats move quickly. A single vulnerability can expose systems to hackers within hours after discovery.
Traditional software security often requires engineering teams to manually check problems, test upgrades, update code, and make sure applications still work correctly after the fix. This process can take days or even weeks.
Root changes this process completely by allowing artificial intelligence to handle the repair process automatically.
The technology also avoids forced software upgrades, which has become one of the biggest pain points for software teams around the world.
Before the acquisition, Root had raised approximately 31 million dollars from investors.
Why This Acquisition Matters for Cybersecurity
The deal between Aikido and Root matters because software supply chain security has become one of the most important areas in cybersecurity.
Modern applications depend heavily on open-source libraries and external software packages. If hackers discover vulnerabilities inside these components, thousands of companies can become targets at the same time.
This risk has forced cybersecurity companies to search for faster and smarter ways to repair software weaknesses.
Root’s technology offers exactly that solution.
By adding Root’s AI repair system into its platform, Aikido can now provide developers with stronger protection tools that not only identify security threats but also solve them automatically.
This creates a much more complete security platform.
Aikido Continues an Aggressive Expansion Strategy
This acquisition is not the first major deal for Aikido. Over the past year, the company has bought several other security startups as part of its rapid expansion strategy.
The company previously acquired Trag, a startup known for artificial intelligence code review technology. It also purchased Allseek, which specialized in autonomous penetration testing.
Another recent purchase came through Haicker, a company focused on offensive security automation.
Each acquisition adds new capabilities to Aikido’s growing cybersecurity ecosystem.
Industry experts believe Aikido now wants to build a complete DevSecOps platform where software can protect itself with minimal human intervention.
The company appears focused on creating a future where security systems detect threats, repair weaknesses, and secure applications almost automatically.
Artificial Intelligence Is Reshaping Cybersecurity
The Aikido and Root deal also highlights a much larger trend across the technology world.
Artificial intelligence now plays a central role in cybersecurity. Companies no longer want security systems that only detect problems. Businesses now prefer systems that can identify threats and immediately solve them.
This shift has created huge demand for AI-powered security startups.
Investors now see cybersecurity as one of the strongest areas for artificial intelligence development because companies everywhere face growing digital threats.
As cyber attacks become more advanced, traditional manual security work becomes slower and more expensive.
Artificial intelligence offers speed, accuracy, and automation, which makes these systems far more attractive for modern businesses.
Europe Emerges as a Serious Cybersecurity Leader
For many years, American companies dominated the global cybersecurity market.
However, Aikido’s rapid rise shows Europe has started producing serious competitors in enterprise technology.
The company’s billion-dollar valuation and aggressive acquisition strategy suggest European startups can now compete directly with established American cybersecurity firms.
This deal also shows investors now pay close attention to cybersecurity startups outside Silicon Valley.
Europe’s startup ecosystem has matured quickly, and companies like Aikido prove major innovation no longer comes only from the United States.
What This Means for the Future
The acquisition of Root by Aikido may become one of the most important cybersecurity deals of 2026.
The purchase shows that artificial intelligence security tools have become a major focus area for technology companies and investors.
It also proves software supply chain security has become a top priority as businesses depend more heavily on open-source software.
Aikido now stands in a stronger position after adding Root’s advanced patch technology to its growing security platform.
The deal sends a clear message to the technology world.
The future of cybersecurity may depend less on manual work and more on intelligent systems that can find threats and fix them automatically.
As this trend grows stronger, companies like Aikido may help define the next generation of global cybersecurity.
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