Darktrace

Darktrace is an AI cybersecurity company headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom, known for its patented Self-Learning AI technology that builds a model of normal behavior for each organization and detects novel threats without relying on rules or signatures. Founded in 2013 by mathematicians and machine learning specialists from the University of Cambridge, Darktrace was taken private by Thoma Bravo in a $5.32 billion acquisition completed in October 2024.

As of late 2025, Darktrace generates approximately $780 million or more in annual revenue, serving over 9,000 organizations across 100+ countries. The ActiveAI Security Platform covers network detection and response (NDR), endpoint security, cloud security, email security, and Cyber AI Analyst—an autonomous investigator that triages alerts, writes incident reports, and correlates events across attack surfaces.

Darktrace's PREVENT product line uses AI to simulate attacks and harden defenses before incidents occur, complementing DETECT and RESPOND capabilities. The company has protected global financial institutions, healthcare systems, critical infrastructure operators, and government agencies.

Darktrace holds ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II, and Cyber Essentials Plus certifications and complies with GDPR and CCPA. Approximately 2,000–2,500 employees globally across offices in Cambridge, San Francisco, New York, and other major cities.

Darktrace is the network-first alternative to agent-based endpoint platforms. Because Self-Learning AI models traffic behaviour rather than host processes, it can surface lateral movement and command-and-control on unmanaged devices, BYOD hardware and operational-technology equipment where an endpoint agent cannot be installed at all — which is why it is usually shortlisted alongside CrowdStrike or SentinelOne rather than instead of them, and against Vectra AI and ExtraHop within network detection itself.

Licensing is modular, with separate network, endpoint, email, cloud and industrial products, and Darktrace is one of the few vendors here to publish fixed contract pricing: its AWS Marketplace listing offers 12-month contracts at $30,000, $60,000 and $100,000, a free 30-day Proof of Value, and custom private offers for larger estates. Best fit: organisations with a substantial unmanaged, industrial or BYOD footprint, and UK and European buyers who want a UK-headquartered vendor and UK-based support.