Palo Alto’s CEO invested in the startup his company just bought for $500 million
Console was valued at $157 million in its latest funding round before Palo Alto acquired it for a reported $500 million. Nikesh Arora was among the startup’s early investors, alongside Joshua Kushner’s Thrive Capital, which led both of its funding rounds.
Alongside the financial results that sent Palo Alto Networks’ stock sharply lower on Wednesday, the cybersecurity giant quietly announced the acquisition of another startup. Palo Alto did not disclose how much it paid for Console, presumably because the deal was not considered material enough to warrant disclosure. However, according to TechCrunch, the acquisition was worth a considerable $500 million.
More interestingly, Palo Alto CEO Nikesh Arora was among Console’s early investors. The startup, founded in 2024, was valued at $157 million in its latest funding round, according to TechCrunch.
The biggest beneficiary of the exit is Joshua Kushner, Jared Kushner’s brother, whose venture capital firm Thrive Capital led both of Console’s funding rounds. Console raised a total of $29 million, meaning Arora and the other early investors appear to have secured a substantial return from the acquisition.
For Arora, however, the investment was relatively small. He is one of the highest-paid CEOs on Wall Street, with an annual compensation package that reached $100 million in 2025. In March, he also invested $10 million in Palo Alto shares, which were under pressure at the time amid concerns that AI companies could disrupt the cybersecurity market.
That investment proved to be well timed. Palo Alto’s stock has more than doubled since then, reaching an all-time high and pushing the company’s market value closer to NIS 1 trillion.
Console has developed an AI-based product designed to automate tasks traditionally handled by corporate IT departments. Its acquisition is the latest in Palo Alto’s aggressive M&A campaign, which also included the $400 million purchase of Israeli cybersecurity company Koi in early 2026.
