Level Effect
Level Effect is a privately held cybersecurity education company that runs Guardian Foundry, a NIST NICE-mapped gamified training platform with quest-based learning, AI grading, and instructor review, serving career switchers, security professionals, and enterprise teams.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersSan Antonio, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Level Effect does
Level Effect is a privately held cybersecurity education company founded in 2017 and based in San Antonio, Texas, operating with an 11-50 employee team and no disclosed external funding. Its core product is Guardian Foundry, a gamified training platform that maps curriculum content to the NIST NICE workforce framework and combines a 5-minute role-discovery quiz with quest-based progression, XP and badge mechanics, AI-assisted grading against instructor-authored rubrics, optional human expert review, and shareable Skill Sheet portfolios demonstrating verified competencies. The company also runs the Cyber Defense Certified Professional (CDCP) certification, Cyber Defense Analyst (CDA), SOC100 series, Detection Engineering & Threat Hunting (DE&TH), Alerts to Adversaries (SOC200), and the Practical AI for Security course built around its proprietary MEDIC NLP model.
The business model is predominantly subscription-based with freemium entry: individual tiers range from a free Trial through Adventurer at $29/month and Guardian at $79/month (with annual plans saving 15%), while the Guild team plan is priced at $119/month per seat with a five-seat minimum and includes cohort tracking and aggregated NICE-mapped reporting. Individual course purchases (e.g., CDA On-Demand at $799, DE&TH at $399, Practical AI at $149, CDCP at $199-$279) and custom enterprise/B2B training packages supplement recurring subscription revenue. Go-to-market combines product-led growth via the free discovery quiz, community-led engagement through an active Discord and YouTube channel, event-driven marketing via ContinuumCon (co-hosted with John Hammond and JustHackingTraining), and direct enterprise sales for team contracts.
Customer segments span career switchers, practicing cybersecurity professionals seeking Tier 2/3 and detection engineering skills, security teams and organizations, government and compliance buyers tied to NIST NICE requirements, and training programs licensing curriculum. The company has scaled to 3,600+ students trained across its programs, maintains 120+ alumni testimonials documenting job placements at firms including Bank of America, Optiv, Huntress, SKOUT Cybersecurity, and CVS Health, and signed a Purdue Global partnership converting CDA certification into 59 transferable academic credits.
Level Effect firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Level Effect
- Legal name
- Level Effect
- Website
- https://leveleffect.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Level Effect is a privately held cybersecurity education company that runs Guardian Foundry, a NIST NICE-mapped gamified training platform with quest-based learning, AI grading, and instructor review, serving career switchers, security professionals, and enterprise teams.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Level Effect industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cybersecurity Training
- NAICS
- Computer Training (611420), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cybersecurity Learning Platforms (EDAFANAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cybersecurity Technical Skills (Security Engineering, SOC, Pen Testing) (EDABAFAF), Cybersecurity (EDAAAPAC), Cybersecurity Training & Awareness Programs (BPAEANAF), Skills Assessment & Talent/Employability Testing Platforms (EDAFADAM)
Keywords
Where Level Effect is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Antonio
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Level Effect business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Subscription - Trial: Free tier offering limited training access, sample quests, Stat Card, and public Discord access. No credit card required. Serves as top-of-funnel for conversion to paid tiers.
- Individual Subscription - Adventurer: Self-paced learning plan at $29/month with full training content, all Level Effect quests, practice lab access, On-Demand grading, and limited private Discord access. Annual billing saves 15%.
- Individual Subscription - Guardian: Full guided experience at $79/month including live coaching, Q&A, instructor walkthroughs, 1-on-1 skill checks, report submissions with human review, verified resume experience, enterprise training feedback, 10% discount on partner training content, and all private Discord access. Annual billing saves 15%.
- Guild Team Plan: Organization team plan at $119/month per seat with minimum 5 seats. Includes Guardian-tier access for each seat plus team dashboards, cohort tracking, and aggregated NICE-mapped reporting. Custom packages available for enterprise clients.
- Individual Course Purchases: One-time course purchases including CDA On-Demand ($799), SOC100 series courses, Detection Engineering & Threat Hunting ($399), Practical AI for Security ($149 on-demand with custom AI model access), CDCP certification ($199-$279). Alumni and launch discounts available.
- Enterprise/Client Training: B2B team training packages with discounted rates for organizations. Custom skill-level and role-based training packages built to fit specific team needs rather than generic content.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free exploration tier for first-time visitors |
| Subscription | Monthly | Self-paced learning with full training library |
| Subscription | Monthly | Full guided experience with coaching and human review |
| Subscription | Monthly | Organization team plan with seat management and reporting |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Level Effect product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Level Effect delivers hands-on cybersecurity training through its Guardian Foundry platform, featuring role-discovery quizzes, quest-based learning with XP progression, AI-assisted grading, and human expert review by NSA veterans and senior practitioners. The platform maps training to the NIST NICE workforce framework and offers tiered subscriptions plus standalone courses covering SOC analyst Tier 1-3, detection engineering, threat hunting, DFIR, and practical AI for security.
Product overview
Level Effect operates as a cybersecurity education company with Guardian Foundry as its core gamified training platform. The platform offers tiered subscription plans (Trial, Adventurer, Guardian, Guild) and integrates standalone courses including SOC100 series, Cyber Defense Analyst (CDA), Detection Engineering & Threat Hunting (DE&TH), and Practical AI for Security. The company awards CDCP certification and maintains the ContinuumCon virtual conference. Guardian Foundry serves as the unified platform combining discovery quizzes, quest-based learning with XP progression, AI-assisted grading, human expert review, and shareable Skill Sheets—all mapped to the NIST NICE workforce framework. Recent launches include the MEDIC custom AI model for incident response and the CDETH certification.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Guardian Foundry Gamified cybersecurity training platform that maps training content to the NIST NICE workforce framework. Features a free discovery quiz for role matching across 40+ Guardian Roles, quest-based learning with XP progression, AI-assisted grading, human expert review, and shareable Skill Sheets that track and demonstrate verified cybersecurity competencies for individual learners and teams.
- SOC100 Series Five-course SOC Analyst Tier 1 training series covering IT fundamentals through Tier 1 SOC operations, including Windows, networking, GRC, malware analysis, email security, SIEM, CTI, and professional report writing. Designed for aspiring and entry-level SOC analysts.
- Cyber Defense Analyst (CDA) Comprehensive cybersecurity training program covering SOC Tier 1-2 skills including triage, incident response, threat hunting, and DFIR, with practical exams and instructor-graded deliverables. Targeted at learners seeking careers as SOC analysts.
- Cyber Defense Certified Professional (CDCP) Certification Practical certification exam demonstrating knowledge and skills to work at SOC Analyst Tier 1 to 2 level. Features report-based deliverables reviewed personally by instructors with no multiple choice questions.
- Detection Engineering & Threat Hunting (DE&TH) Specialized training for SOC analysts seeking to advance into detection engineering and threat hunting roles, covering Snort, Sigma, YARA, CI/CD, and Endpoint Emulation.
- Alerts to Adversaries (SOC200) Advanced SOC training covering Microsoft Sentinel optimization, KQL query development, threat hunting methodologies, adversary TTP-based detection rules, and playbook creation for SOC analysts moving into advanced detection and response roles.
- Practical AI for Security Course teaching AI augmentation in security operations using the custom MEDIC NLP model. Covers prompt engineering, AI vulnerabilities, and NLP-based incident response triage on Windows endpoints.
- SOC100-3 Virtual SOC Hands-on virtual SOC experience where students triage real security incidents at Tier 1 Analyst level within a simulated security operations environment.
- Certified Detection Engineer & Threat Hunter (CDETH) Certification Certification for detection engineers and threat hunters covering Snort, Sigma, YARA, CI/CD, and Endpoint Emulation, validating advanced practical skills in detection engineering and threat hunting.
- Enterprise and Client Training Packages Custom B2B team training packages for organizations with discounted rates, built to fit specific team needs with different skill levels and role-based content rather than generic curricula. Delivered through direct enterprise sales.
Quantifiable outcome
- Students landing roles at Bank of America, Optiv, Huntress, SKOUT Cybersecurity, CVS Health, and other organizations within months of completing training
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Level Effect
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Level Effect technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability4 records
Feature7 records
Level Effect partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.
- Ginger Hacker InitiativeminorCollaboration to bring additional training opportunities to the cybersecurity community. Partnership for expanding training reach and accessibility.
- vx undergroundminorContent giveaway partnership providing free educational content to the community through collaborative promotions.
- CourseStackcoreCollaboration for on-demand model hosting enabling student access to MEDIC custom security-focused AI model within the training platform. Infrastructure breakthrough allowing full on-demand AI content delivery within Guardian Foundry.
- John HammondflagshipCo-host of ContinuumCon cybersecurity conference. John Hammond, prominent cybersecurity influencer, partnered with Level Effect and JustHackingTraining to create 'the conference that never ends' featuring workshops, CTF events, and hands-on training sessions with lifetime ticket access to on-demand content.
- JustHackingTrainingflagshipCo-host of ContinuumCon conference alongside John Hammond. Partnership for creating immersive, hands-on cybersecurity training conference with practical workshops and CTF competitions.
- Purdue GlobalcoreAcademic credit partnership: CDA certification transfers as 59 credits toward Purdue Global cybersecurity bachelor's degree program. Provides formal educational recognition for Level Effect training.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Level Effect competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TryHackMe: Gamified cybersecurity learning platform with quest-style rooms, learning paths, and a free + premium subscription model. Directly comparable to Guardian Foundry in target learner (career switchers and upskillers), product mechanic (gamified, hands-on, progressive), and pricing (low monthly subscription).
- Hack The Box: Hands-on cybersecurity training platform focused on offensive security labs, CTF challenges, and academy-style learning paths. Comparable in audience (security practitioners, career switchers), hands-on lab model, and subscription tiers including team/business plans.
- OffSec (Offensive Security): Pioneer of the OSCP certification and a long-standing authority in penetration testing training. Comparable in advanced hands-on curriculum, instructor-graded practical assessments, and brand association with elite cyber talent (Bendas holds OSCP; Level Effect trains toward similar offensive/defensive practitioner skills).
- TCM Security: Practical security training provider covering penetration testing, SOC analyst, and security awareness content with a creator-led, community-driven model. Comparable in target audience (career switchers, blue team), pricing approach, and reliance on founder/instructor brands.
- LetsDefend: Blue-team SOC analyst training platform with hands-on incident response, SIEM, and DFIR labs. Directly comparable in target learner (SOC analyst career path), hands-on lab mechanics, and subscription-based delivery model.
- Antisyphon Training: Cybersecurity training provider built by practitioners (including John Strand, SANS alumni) covering blue team, SOC analyst, and purple team topics. Comparable in practitioner-led, affordable training approach, and overlap with Level Effect's blue-team practitioner curriculum.
- RangeForce: Enterprise-focused cybersecurity skills platform with hands-on labs, NICE framework mapping, and team reporting dashboards. Directly comparable in NIST NICE alignment, team/enterprise tier, and skills-verified training—representing Level Effect's closest enterprise competitor.
- Cybrary: Long-running cybersecurity training platform with subscription model, hands-on labs, and team/business plans. Comparable in target audience (practitioners and career switchers), subscription tiers, and breadth of blue team content.
Broad incumbents
- SANS Institute: Largest incumbent in cybersecurity training with broad course catalog, GIAC certifications, and enterprise/government training programs. Comparable in NIST-aligned curriculum, enterprise/government vertical, and instructor-led model—but at much larger scale and price points.
Emerging players
- CyberDefenders: Blue team training and CTF platform focused on SOC analyst, DFIR, and threat hunting skills. Comparable in blue-team practitioner focus, hands-on challenge model, and overlap with Level Effect's SOC100/CDA/DE&TH curriculum.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Level Effect social profiles
Digital presenceLevel Effect compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Level Effect financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Level Effect leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Level Effect funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Level Effect 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 Level Effect
What does Level Effect do?
Level Effect delivers hands-on cybersecurity training through its Guardian Foundry platform, featuring role-discovery quizzes, quest-based learning with XP progression, AI-assisted grading, and human expert review by NSA veterans and senior practitioners. The platform maps training to the NIST NICE workforce framework and offers tiered subscriptions plus standalone courses covering SOC analyst Tier 1-3, detection engineering, threat hunting, DFIR, and practical AI for security.
Is Level Effect a public or private company?
Level Effect is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Level Effect founded?
Level Effect was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Level Effect based?
Level Effect is headquartered in San Antonio, United States, in the North America region.
How does Level Effect make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Individual Subscription - Trial is the primary driver. The others are individual Subscription - Adventurer, individual Subscription - Guardian, guild Team Plan, individual Course Purchases and enterprise/Client Training.
Who are Level Effect's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TryHackMe, Hack The Box, OffSec (Offensive Security), TCM Security, LetsDefend, Antisyphon Training, RangeForce and Cybrary. SANS Institute is listed as a broad incumbent. CyberDefenders is listed as an emerging player.
Does Level Effect have an API?
No public API is recorded for Level Effect.
What industry is Level Effect in?
Level Effect's product category is Cybersecurity Training. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFANAF, Cybersecurity Learning Platforms, with a secondary code of EDABAFAF, Cybersecurity Technical Skills (Security Engineering, SOC, Pen Testing). Its NAICS code is 611420 and its SIC code is 8200.