Blacknight Joins European Digital Services Group Your.Online to Accelerate Long-Term Growth

Blacknight, Ireland’s leading domain registrar and hosting provider, today announced it is joining European digital services group Your.Online, securing long-term investment and positioning the Carlow-founded company for its next phase of growth. The partnership marks an exciting new chapter in Blacknight’s journey while reinforcing its long-term commitment to customers, staff, and the Irish internet community. 

Founded in Carlow in 2003 by Michele Neylon and Paul Kelly, Blacknight began as a small hosting business operating from a house in Carlow town. Over more than two decades, it has grown into Ireland’s leading domain registrar and one of the country’s most trusted digital infrastructure providers, serving more than 90,000 customers across Ireland and internationally. What started as a two-person operation has expanded to employ almost 60 people, with the company operating its own infrastructure from multiple data centre locations across Ireland. Today Blacknight providing domains, hosting, cloud infrastructure, email, colocation, and online solutions to businesses, developers, organisations, and entrepreneurs. 

The agreement marks the next chapter in Blacknight’s growth story. It represents one of the most significant developments in Ireland’s hosting and domain sector in recent years, bringing the company into a wider European network while preserving its Irish leadership, company culture, and operational independence. 

As part of the partnership, Blacknight will continue to operate independently under its established brand, with Michele Neylon and Paul Kelly remaining in their leadership roles alongside the existing team. Day-to-day operations, customer relationships, and service delivery will remain unchanged. 

The partnership brings Blacknight into a wider network of founder-led digital businesses across Europe and the United States, creating new opportunities for collaboration, shared expertise, and long-term investment while preserving the identity, leadership, and values that customers know and trust.  

The move will also provide Blacknight with access to additional resources and expertise to accelerate investment in infrastructure, cloud services, security, and customer solutions. 

Koen van Deudekom, General Manager of the Presence segment at Your.Online, is delighted to welcome Blacknight to the group.  

Paul Kelly, CTO and co-founder of Blacknight, added: 

Your.Online partners with strong local digital brands across Europe, supporting founder-led companies while allowing them to retain their independence, leadership, and identity. The partnership reflects a shared belief that businesses with deep local roots and strong customer relationships are best positioned for long-term success. 

For Blacknight customers and partners, the message is simple: the people, services, and commitment they rely on remain exactly the same, now strengthened by the support and scale of a broader international group. 

Over more than two decades, Blacknight has established itself as a respected voice within both the Irish and international internet community, with active involvement in organisations including ICANN, RIPE, INEX, i2Coalition, and Eco. This next chapter ensures the company is well positioned to continue that role for many years to come. 

Blacknight would like to acknowledge the support of its advisers throughout the transaction. Legal advice was provided by Irish law firm Clarke Jeffers LLP, led by Victor Clarke and Rob Cassidy, while corporate finance and transaction advisory services were provided by Irish corporate finance specialists Woods & Partners, led by Conor Woods and Ben Shine. Their expertise, guidance, and commitment were instrumental in helping bring the partnership to a successful conclusion. 

Your.Online is a growing European group of founder-led digital service providers, supporting local brands with long-term investment, operational expertise, and a collaborative network designed to help independent businesses thrive while maintaining their identity and leadership.