Approach

What Approach does

Approach Cyber is a Belgian-founded pure-play cybersecurity and privacy services firm that has operated for more than 25 years, serving enterprise customers across Belgium and Switzerland. The company is organized under two legal entities, Approach Belgium SA/NV (headquartered in Mont-Saint-Guibert, with additional offices in Antwerp and Mechelen) and Approach Switzerland SA (regional headquarters in Lausanne, on the Campus Unlimitrust), and employs approximately 100 specialists. Its service portfolio spans phishing and awareness training, governance/risk/compliance, privacy and data protection, data security and governance, ethical hacking/penetration testing, managed threat detection and response from a 24/7 SOC, secure application development, and cloud security.

The technological centerpiece is the proprietary AXS Guard managed cybersecurity platform, positioned as a sovereign, locally hosted platform delivering perimeter security, access management, threat detection, SOC operations and incident response. AXS Guard is treated as both an internal service-delivery backbone and a standalone managed security offering, and is supported by ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and ISO/IEC 27701:2019 certifications. Approach combines this platform with offensive and defensive consulting, advisory and staffing services, and custom secure software development, and has extended its capabilities through the March 2023 acquisition of Belgian peer Secubear BV.

Commercially, Approach generates revenue through managed security services (recurring 24/7 SOC and MDR contracts) and professional services (advisory, ethical hacking, integration, training, and custom software development). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, targeting enterprise customers in industries such as logistics, aviation, automotive, food and beverage, manufacturing, technology, professional services and fintech, with named logos including Grimaldi Group, Lunajets, Toyota Boshoku, Danone, Mockel Precision, Sword Technologies, Fednot, Global Shares and OMP. Distribution is direct enterprise field sales supported by content marketing, partner webinars, industry events and membership in regional ecosystems such as ECSO, the Belgian Cyber Security Coalition, Swiss Trust Valley, Cyberwal, FIRST and CyberPeace Builders.

Name

Approach

Legal name

Approach Belgium SA/NV

Website

https://approach-cyber.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Approach Cyber is a Belgian-Swiss cybersecurity and privacy services firm serving enterprise customers with managed security, ethical hacking, GRC, privacy and secure software services built around its proprietary AXS Guard sovereign platform and a 24/7 SOC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cybersecurity Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Computer Related Services (541519), Computer Systems Design Services (541512)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Network Security Managed Services (Firewall/IDS/IPS/SASE) (BPAEADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Privacy, Data Protection & Cyber Governance (GRC) (BPAHAFAF), Cybersecurity & Identity Consulting (BPAHAEAG), Email Phishing & BEC Protection (HDADAKAB)

Keywords

• Managed security services
• Penetration testing services
• Cybersecurity advisory
• Governance risk compliance
• Threat detection response

Headquarters

HQ city

Mont-saint-guibert

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Managed Security Services: 24x7x365 managed services from their Security Operations Centre (SOC), including threat detection and response, incident response support, and continuous security monitoring
2. Professional Services: Strategic advisory, expert consulting, guidance and temporary staffing solutions; technology integration (selecting, implementing, maintaining technology solutions); awareness and education services for cyber security culture
3. Software Development: Custom application development built with security and privacy by design

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Approach Cyber is a pure-play cybersecurity and privacy service provider that combines strategic advisory, offensive and defensive security expertise, 24/7 SOC operations, and product engineering on its proprietary sovereign AXS Guard managed cybersecurity platform. It sells managed security services, ethical hacking/penetration testing, governance risk and compliance, privacy and data protection, data security and governance, phishing and awareness training, secure application development, and cloud security services primarily to enterprise customers in Belgium and Switzerland.

Product overview

Approach Cyber delivers cybersecurity services through a combination of strategic advisory, offensive and defensive expertise, SOC operations, and product engineering centered around their sovereign AXS Guard managed security platform. Their portfolio includes security testing services (Ethical Hacking/Penetration Testing), managed security services (Threat Detection & Response, Managed Detection & Response), advisory services (Governance Risk & Compliance, Privacy & Data Protection), and specialized services (Phishing & Awareness, Secure Applications, Cloud Security). They deliver solutions through five go-to-market pillars: Advisory & Staffing, Awareness & Education, Technology Integration, Managed Security Services, and Software Development. The company operates 5 offices across Belgium and Switzerland with a team of 100+ people, serving clients throughout Europe.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AXS Guard: Sovereign managed cybersecurity platform developed by Approach Cyber providing end-to-end cyber resilience.

Products and services

• AXS Guard Managed Cybersecurity Platform A proprietary sovereign managed security platform providing end-to-end cyber resilience including firewall, perimeter security, access management, threat detection, SOC services, and incident response. It is the core technology foundation underpinning Approach Cyber's managed services and is targeted at enterprise organizations in Belgium and Switzerland.
• Ethical Hacking Offensive security testing service including penetration testing, threat modeling, and attack-path discovery for enterprise organizations seeking to validate and strengthen their security posture before adversaries exploit vulnerabilities.
• Threat Detection & Response Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service combining continuous vigilance and rapid response to proactively detect and neutralize cyber threats, delivered 24x7x365 from Approach's Security Operations Centre for enterprise customers.
• Governance, Risk & Compliance GRC services that enable enterprise organizations to manage and control security and compliance risks from a centralized dashboard, supporting frameworks including NIS2, DORA, and the EU Cyber Resilience Act.
• Privacy & Data Protection Privacy and data protection services that elevate privacy compliance and foster trust in digital services, aligned with GDPR and Swiss nFADP requirements for enterprise customers.
• Phishing & Awareness Security awareness training service that empowers staff to become the first line of defense against phishing and social engineering attacks, delivered in partnership with KnowBe4 for enterprise customers.
• Data Security & Governance Data security and governance services that help organizations turn data into reliable assets for strategic decision-making while ensuring proper security and governance controls.
• Secure Applications Application security services that embed security and privacy by design into software development, including application security consulting and threat modeling for enterprise customers building secure digital products.
• Cloud Security Cloud protection services designed to safeguard enterprise cloud environments against current and emerging cyber threats.
• Advisory & Staffing Strategic advisory, expert consulting, and temporary staffing services that support enterprise organizations' cybersecurity needs, forming one of Approach's five go-to-market pillars.
• Managed Security Services 24x7x365 managed services delivered from Approach's Security Operations Centre, providing continuous security monitoring, threat detection, and incident response to enterprise customers.
• Software Development Custom application development service built with security and privacy by design principles, forming one of Approach's five go-to-market pillars.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40+ hours of training per employee annually
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and strategic.

• Secubear BVcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2023In March 2023, Belgium-based Approach acquired fellow Belgium company Secubear BV to expand its portfolio of data security offerings including penetration testing, SOC services, and incident response support. This acquisition strengthened Approach's capabilities in the data-centric security market.
• KnowBe4coreGTM or Marketing PartnerApproach Cyber partners with KnowBe4 for phishing awareness training. They co-hosted an exclusive webinar on building human firewalls and security awareness programs, combining Approach's cybersecurity expertise with KnowBe4's security awareness training platform.
• YieldsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerApproach Cyber partnered with Yields for AI governance webinar, combining cybersecurity expertise with AI governance knowledge to help organizations comply with EU AI Act requirements.
• FACT (Federated Advanced Cyber-Physical Test Range)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerApproach Cyber is a consortium partner in the European FACT Defence Project, contributing to federated cyber-physical test range development for defense applications. This aligns with their involvement in European and NATO defense strategy projects.
• V-ICT-ORminorGTM or Marketing PartnerApproach Cyber collaborates with V-ICT-OR (Flemish ICT Organisation) for ConnectIT 2026, an IT trade fair and innovation platform bringing together technology and innovation stakeholders.
• TMAB Business EventsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerApproach Cyber partnered with TMAB Business Events for ConnectIT 2026, a platform where technology, innovation and new generation thinkers from various sectors come together.
• AgoriaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerApproach Cyber collaborates with Agoria (Belgian technology industry association) as part of the ConnectIT 2026 event collaboration.
• Women4CybercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerApproach Cyber supports Women4Cyber, a European foundation promoting women's participation in cybersecurity. The company actively contributes to creating more opportunities for women in cybersecurity through various initiatives.
• CyberPeace InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerApproach Cyber participates in CyberPeace Builders, an initiative of the CyberPeace Institute providing free cybersecurity expertise to NGOs. Approach contributes time and expertise to help NGOs protect against and recover from cyberattacks.
• KnowBe4coreTechnology or IntegrationKnowBe4 is a technology partner for security awareness training, shown on Approach Cyber's partner and legal terms pages.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Orange Cyberdefense: European MSSP and cybersecurity services arm of Orange, offering managed SOC, threat intelligence, advisory, and incident response across multiple countries. Most direct scaled peer to Approach Cyber in managed security services.
• Secutec: Belgian MSSP and cybersecurity provider offering managed detection and response, SOC services, and security advisory. Direct competitor in the Belgian enterprise market.
• Toreon: Belgian cybersecurity consultancy specializing in ethical hacking, security assessments, and GRC. Closely comparable in size, geography, and offensive-security service mix.
• NVISO Security: European cybersecurity services firm (headquartered in Belgium) delivering SOC, incident response, security assessments, and managed services. Highly comparable in footprint and offerings.

Regional players

• Swisscom Security: Swiss incumbent telecom's cybersecurity arm providing SOC, managed defense, and security advisory primarily to Swiss enterprises. Direct competitor in Approach's Swiss home market.
• Wortell: Netherlands-based managed security and Microsoft security specialist serving Benelux enterprises. Comparable MSSP model with neighboring geographic focus.

Broad incumbents

• Sopra Steria Cybersecurity: Large European IT services group with cybersecurity capabilities including SOC, GRC, identity, and managed defense. Competes for similar enterprise and public-sector mandates across Europe.
• Devoteam Cyber Trust: European consulting firm with a dedicated cybersecurity practice offering managed security, cloud security, and compliance advisory. Broader portfolio but overlapping service lines with Approach.
• Deloitte Cyber: Global Big Four cybersecurity advisory practice offering strategy, managed security, and incident response. Competes with Approach on advisory and compliance mandates for large enterprises.

Others

• Capgemini Engineering Cybersecurity: Global IT services firm with cybersecurity offerings spanning identity, cloud security, SOC, and compliance. Overlaps with Approach on enterprise security advisory and integration.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@approachcyber
• Facebookfacebook.com/Approach.Cyber
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/16513
• Xx.com/ApproachCyber

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Approach