Askeal: the AI assistant for cybersecurity that combines artificial intelligence and expert community

Askeal: the AI assistant for cybersecurity that combines artificial intelligence and human experience

Askeal, the AI assistant for cybersecurity, represents an innovative approach in the sector, combining artificial intelligence with the experience of a community of experts. Unlike other solutions that claim to know everything, Askeal relies on a network of vendors, researchers, and qualified practitioners who contribute their knowledge and tools to help users conduct manual investigations. The startup, which has received $1.1 million in funding in a pre-seed phase, is launching its tool with an international community of testers and early contributors.

A unique approach to cybersecurity

Askeal was founded by Roxane Suau in August 2025 and closed its first round of funding three months later. The solution stands out for its transparent and community-based approach. "It is an AI-powered cybersecurity assistant, but we often leave out the AI part because it is the community that makes it unique," says Suau. The main focus is on the network of expert contributors, whose knowledge fuels the assistant, and the transparency that allows users to see the intelligence sources behind every answer.

How Askeal works

Users can interact with Askeal in natural language, attaching files or other evidence. The assistant analyzes the information, compares it with relevant sources, and provides assessments supported by verifiable evidence. For example, when asking for information about a specific CVE, Askeal gathers related technical research, published proof-of-concept, and available patches, providing a risk level and recommended actions.

If you encounter a suspicious URL, simply paste it into Askeal to get the verdict from vendors' tools, a check against phishing databases, and intelligence about the campaign it is associated with.

The power of the community

Askeal gathers knowledge from private and open-source feeds. When available sources are insufficient, the assistant leaves the relevant section empty rather than filling it with weak or irrelevant material. "We are not afraid to leave a section empty if there is nothing relevant to share," explains Suau.

In addition to answering questions, Askeal supports investigative tasks such as log analysis, threat detection through integrated capabilities of contributors, URL, domain, and hash searches, CVE removal guides, and security configuration recommendations. A user can also upload a log file containing multiple indicators of compromise, and Askeal extracts the assets and checks them against available sources.

270+ verified contributors, amplified by Askeal's technology

Each contributor is manually approved before joining the platform. The team verifies contributors based on expert-level knowledge criteria. More than 90 contributors have joined the program in the last two months, adding to the 178 public sources initially included in the tool.

After human review, a multi-level AI review evaluates the quality and technical level of the submitted content. When a user asks a question, the system compares the answers with each other. Contradictions remain, because a discrepancy between two credible experts is information that an analyst can use. Users can rate the quality of the answers, providing feedback along with source verification.

Integration with existing tools

Most of Askeal's target customers already use an EDR or XDR with integrated AI. Suau does not ask customers to change tools but emphasizes the difference in the pool of knowledge that Askeal draws from. "The AI will make a decision based on the amount of intelligence it has within that tool," says Suau regarding integrated assistants, which respond based on what a single vendor knows. Askeal, on the other hand, draws from the knowledge of the entire ecosystem and shows the intelligence to the decision-maker.

A growing market

Askeal opened its beta version in February 2026 with the goal of recruiting 300 testers in three months and reached 500 testers in two and a half months. The community was recruited through direct outreach and has provided valuable feedback for product development, helping to decide which features to prioritize and what to improve.

SOC analysts represent about half of the initial community. Other users include IT managers, security engineers, and administrators who handle security work without specializing in it. The initial community covers 69 countries and 14 roles in IT and security. Commercially, Askeal primarily focuses on medium-sized companies and managed security providers, where teams often need more capacity or specialized skills.

Freemium model and future prospects

The first round of funding of $1.1 million supports the market push and international scalability. Askeal is free today, but paid plans are coming, with a revenue share system that pays contributors based on how often their knowledge is used.

The impact on medium-sized businesses and managed security providers

Askeal's commercial focus on medium-sized businesses and managed security providers is strategic. These market segments often face the challenge of managing complex security problems with limited resources. Askeal provides them with access to a knowledge ecosystem that would otherwise be inaccessible, democratizing access to specialized skills that are typically reserved for large organizations with substantial budgets.

Source verification as added value

Askeal's ability to show the original sources behind each answer represents a distinctive value compared to other artificial intelligence tools. In a sector where trust in information is crucial, this transparency allows users to independently assess the reliability of the answers and better understand the context in which these information was generated.

A new paradigm for cybersecurity

Askeal is redefining the role of artificial intelligence in cybersecurity, demonstrating that true innovation lies in the intelligent integration of technology and human expertise. With its community-based approach, neuro-symbolic technology, and freemium model, the platform positions itself as an essential tool for addressing the increasingly complex challenges of the contemporary cybersecurity landscape.

Additional resources

To delve deeper into the topic, you can visit Askeal's official website: https://askeal.com/