HacWare
HacWare is an AI-driven security awareness training and phishing simulation platform serving Managed Service Providers and SMBs via per-email subscription tiers and distribution through the Pax8, TD SYNNEX, and Sherweb marketplaces.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersDover, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What HacWare does
HacWare is a Delaware-incorporated, private cybersecurity SaaS company founded in 2019 by former ethical hacker Tiffany Ricks, headquartered in New York City with a secondary office in Dallas. The company operates with 1–10 employees and has raised approximately $2.57 million in disclosed funding across a 2019 Techstars investment, a 2022 seed round led by Elevate Capital, a 2024 Google for Startups Founders Fund grant, and a 2025 strategic investment from Northwestern Mutual.
HacWare's core product is a 100% AI-powered, automated security awareness training and phishing simulation platform organized around a unified core with modular add-ons (LMS, Smishing, Dark Web Scan, Phish Reporter, Developer API). Its patent-pending generative AI ingests 500K phishing messages daily via web mining and synthesizes personalized phishing simulations from real emails and current threats; supervised learning drives human-factor risk scoring and vulnerability timing. Integrations span Microsoft 365 (with direct email injection for BEC simulation), Google Workspace, Microsoft SSO/Entra, and Okta.
The company generates revenue through per-active-email subscription tiers (Pro/Plus/Super), a tiered MSP Partner Program (Growth monthly, Power annual) with 30–50% partner margins, and a Developer API priced at $0/$599/custom. Distribution flows through three major channel marketplaces — Pax8, TD SYNNEX, and Sherweb — reaching over 3,000 IT solution providers, supplemented by self-serve PLG via 14-day free trial and direct enterprise sales. Customer concentration is in SMBs and the MSPs that serve them, with no enterprise logos publicly disclosed.
HacWare firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- HacWare
- Legal name
- HacWare, Inc.
- Website
- https://hacware.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- HacWare is an AI-driven security awareness training and phishing simulation platform serving Managed Service Providers and SMBs via per-email subscription tiers and distribution through the Pax8, TD SYNNEX, and Sherweb marketplaces.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
HacWare industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Security Awareness Training Software
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Security Awareness & Phishing Simulation (Email/Collab-focused) (HDADAKAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Email Phishing & BEC Protection (HDADAKAB), Spam, Fake Engagement & Content Abuse Prevention (HDADALAG)
Keywords
Where HacWare is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dover
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
HacWare business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Subscription - Per Active Email Address: Monthly subscription billing based on the number of active email addresses receiving training during the billing period. Usage calculated on the 15th of each month with automatic billing to card on file.
- Developer API Plans: Three API pricing tiers: Free R&D (50 credits/month), Essential at $599/month (5,000 credits), and custom Premium for large scale apps. Rate limit fees apply for additional credits.
- MSP Partner Program Subscriptions: Tiered partner program with Growth Plan (monthly contract) and Power Plan (annual contract) offering different levels of support, training, and co-marketing opportunities.
- Marketplace Distribution Revenue: Revenue through marketplace distribution via partners like Sherweb, Pax8, and TD SYNNEX where HacWare is made available to IT Solution Providers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | PRO - Email Phishing Focus |
| Subscription | Monthly | PLUS - PRO + LMS (Compliance & Insurance) |
| Subscription | Monthly | SUPER - PLUS + SMS (Text Phishing) |
| Subscription | Annual | R&D - Free Developer Plan |
| Subscription | Annual | Essential - MVP and Tools |
| Subscription | Annual | Premium - Large Scale Apps |
| Subscription | Monthly | Growth Plan - MSP Partner (Monthly) |
| Subscription | Annual | Power Plan - MSP Partner (Annual) |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels9 records
HacWare product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HacWare is an AI-driven, 100% automated security awareness training and phishing simulation platform that enables organizations and their employees to defend against evolving phishing attacks and business email compromise scams. The platform uses patent-pending generative AI to create personalized phishing simulations based on real threats, daily web mining to identify emerging attacks, and micro-training content delivered through a learning management system. HacWare is sold via tiered subscriptions (Pro, Plus, Super) per active email address, a Developer API for embedding phishing simulation in third-party apps, and an MSP partner program for channel resale.
Product overview
HacWare is an AI-powered 100% automated security awareness training and phishing simulation platform organized as a unified core platform with modular add-on capabilities. The core HacWare Platform is offered through three subscription tiers (Pro, Plus, Super) with increasing functionality, plus a Developer API product. Key products include the Security Awareness API for developer integrations, a Learning Management System (LMS) for structured training delivery, the Phish Reporter browser add-in for email clients, and free tools (Dark Web Scan, DMARC Checker, Ban Hacked Passwords). The MSP Partner Program provides channel-focused resale and whitelabeling capabilities. All products are powered by patent-pending generative AI for phishing simulations and human risk assessment technology.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 60% reduction in malware outbreaks
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use HacWare
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
HacWare technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
AI capability7 records
Feature10 records
HacWare partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SherwebcoreSherweb has included HacWare in its marketplace, helping MSPs maximize their value through AI-powered security awareness training.
- Pax8coreStrategic partnership to make set-and-forget cybersecurity awareness training available to IT Solution Providers around the world. HacWare's AI-powered platform integrates with Pax8's marketplace to reach thousands of MSPs globally.
- TD SYNNEXcorePartnership to deliver modern, elevated cybersecurity education and training to IT Solution Providers. HacWare is available in the TD SYNNEX marketplace.
- InvoltaminorLaunched inaugural hackathon event 'Capture the Phish' combining software engineering and cybersecurity to drive innovation and inspire the next generation of tech leaders.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
HacWare competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Proofpoint Security Awareness: Enterprise-grade security awareness and phishing simulation suite bundled into Proofpoint's broader threat protection platform. Competes in the same buyer use case (human risk reduction) but at much larger enterprise accounts and with adjacent email security offerings.
- KnowBe4: Market-leading security awareness training and phishing simulation platform, acquired by KKR for ~$4.6B (2023). Highly comparable product offering (phishing simulation, training, compliance) but with vastly greater scale, content library depth, and enterprise sales coverage than HacWare.
- Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Attack Simulator: Native phishing simulation and training module included with Microsoft Defender for Office 365. Represents the embedded-incumbent threat: 'good enough' SAT functionality bundled free or low-cost for the millions of organizations already paying for Microsoft 365.
- Barracuda Security Awareness: Security awareness training offering from Barracuda Networks, sold primarily through MSP and channel partners. Highly comparable in target buyer (MSPs serving SMBs) and distribution model, though anchored by a broader email security portfolio.
Direct peers
- Hoxhunt: AI-driven phishing simulation and security behavior change platform with strong enterprise traction. Closely comparable in product philosophy (automated, adaptive AI simulations) and GDPR/EU data pedigree, making it a meaningful direct peer for HacWare's AI-led approach.
- Cofense: Direct competitor focused on phishing defense, simulation, and intelligence. Targets similar mid-market and enterprise buyers with phishing simulation and reporting workflows, making it one of the closest product overlaps to HacWare in the SMB/MSP segment.
- Phished: AI-driven phishing simulation and security awareness platform headquartered in Belgium with strong European presence. Same core product (automated phishing simulations + training) and a similar SMB/mid-market orientation, making it a direct global peer.
- NINJIO: Security awareness training provider using animated micro-content episodes to change user behavior. Closely comparable in targeting SMB/mid-market and MSP-channel sales motion, though takes a content-led rather than AI-simulation-led approach.
Others
- Syxsense: Endpoint and vulnerability management vendor that has added security awareness and phishing simulation capabilities. Tangentially adjacent — useful as a comparable for how SaaS security players are layering SAT into broader platforms, but not a primary direct competitor.
Emerging players
- Curricula: Security awareness training platform with a strong focus on engaging, story-driven LMS content for SMBs. Comparable in target market and tone, though differentiated by a content-led rather than AI-simulation-led approach versus HacWare.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
HacWare social profiles
Digital presenceHacWare compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
HacWare financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
HacWare leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
HacWare funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
HacWare M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about HacWare
What does HacWare do?
HacWare is an AI-driven, 100% automated security awareness training and phishing simulation platform that enables organizations and their employees to defend against evolving phishing attacks and business email compromise scams. The platform uses patent-pending generative AI to create personalized phishing simulations based on real threats, daily web mining to identify emerging attacks, and micro-training content delivered through a learning management system. HacWare is sold via tiered subscriptions (Pro, Plus, Super) per active email address, a Developer API for embedding phishing simulation in third-party apps, and an MSP partner program for channel resale.
Is HacWare a public or private company?
HacWare is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was HacWare founded?
HacWare was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is HacWare based?
HacWare is headquartered in Dover, United States, in the North America region.
How does HacWare make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Subscription - Per Active Email Address are the primary driver. The others are developer API Plans, MSP Partner Program Subscriptions and marketplace Distribution Revenue.
Who are HacWare's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Proofpoint Security Awareness, KnowBe4, Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Attack Simulator and Barracuda Security Awareness. Direct peers are Hoxhunt, Cofense, Phished and NINJIO. Syxsense is listed as an others. Curricula is listed as an emerging player.
Does HacWare have an API?
Yes. RESTFUL API that uses A.I. supervised learning to identify internal risks to phishing and business email compromise scams and auto-generates personalized phishing campaigns. Supports cloud email integrations (Microsoft 365, Gmail API) and on-prem emails via HacWare Open Threat Intelligence API. Provides human-centric risk assessments, phishing simulations, and micro training capabilities for software developers. Developer documentation is at www.hacware.com/doc/index.html.
What industry is HacWare in?
HacWare's product category is Security Awareness Training Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDADAKAJ, Security Awareness & Phishing Simulation (Email/Collab-focused), with a secondary code of HDADAKAB, Email Phishing & BEC Protection. Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7372.