Earlier this year, Kahootz celebrated an impressive milestone: 25 years of helping organisations collaborate securely and confidently.
Since 2001, the business has built a reputation as a trusted provider of secure collaboration software, supporting organisations across government, defence, healthcare and other highly regulated sectors. Today, its platform helps customers share information, manage projects and work together securely on some of the UK’s most critical programmes.
The milestone also comes at an exciting point in Kahootz’s journey. Having joined Vesta Software Group in 2024, the business has continued to grow while maintaining the customer-first culture and entrepreneurial spirit that have defined it for the past 25 years.
To mark the occasion, we caught up with CEO Luca Leone to reflect on Kahootz’s journey so far, what makes the business unique, and how he sees the next chapter unfolding.
Kahootz recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. Looking back, what did reaching this milestone mean to you and the team?
Reaching 25 years was a significant milestone for Kahootz, and one that meant a lot to the whole team. It gave us a moment to reflect on the customers, colleagues and partners who have helped shape the business over the years.
What made it even more special was that the anniversary coincided with signing a new expanded contract with the NHS, one of our largest and longest-standing customer relationships. That felt like a very fitting way to mark the occasion. It reinforced that, even after 25 years, we are still growing, still trusted, and still helping customers solve important collaboration challenges.
For me, it was both a celebration of our history and a reminder of the opportunity ahead.
For those who may not be familiar with Kahootz, what does the business do and what makes it different?
Kahootz provides secure online collaboration workspaces that enable organisations to share information, manage projects and work together across organisational boundaries. We specialise in supporting customers operating in highly regulated and security-conscious environments where trust, compliance and resilience are essential.
What makes us different is our combination of security, simplicity and flexibility. Our platform is trusted by organisations across government, defence, healthcare and critical infrastructure, but it’s designed to be intuitive and easy to use. We believe organisations shouldn’t have to choose between strong security and a great user experience.
You joined Kahootz in 2017 and became CEO in 2024. What motivated you to step into the role and lead the business through its next phase of growth?
Having spent several years working closely with our customers, particularly across defence and national security, I developed a deep appreciation for both the importance of our platform and the impact it has on the organisations we support.
When the opportunity arose to become CEO, I saw it as a chance to build on a strong foundation and help drive the next stage of growth. We operate in markets where secure collaboration is becoming increasingly critical, and I believe Kahootz is uniquely positioned to meet that need. The opportunity to work alongside such a talented team while expanding our reach and continuing to innovate was something I was incredibly excited to take on.
Looking back over the last two years since Kahootz joined Vesta Software Group, what stands out most to you?
What stands out most is how well the partnership has balanced support with independence. Becoming part of a larger software group has given us access to additional expertise, resources and best practices, while allowing us to maintain the culture, focus and agility that have made Kahootz successful.
It’s also been valuable to connect with leaders from across the wider group. Sharing ideas and learning from other software businesses has helped us accelerate our thinking and strengthen the way we operate.
What aspects of the Kahootz culture and business have been important to preserve since becoming part of Vesta?
Our customer-first mindset has been absolutely critical to preserve. We have always taken pride in building long-term relationships and being responsive to customer needs, and that remains central to everything we do.
We’ve also worked hard to maintain our entrepreneurial spirit. Kahootz has always been a business that adapts quickly, embraces innovation and empowers people to take ownership. Preserving that culture while benefiting from the strength of a larger organisation has been an important part of our success.
Kahootz supports organisations operating in some highly regulated and security-conscious environments. What challenges are your customers trying to solve, and how does Kahootz help them do that?
Many of our customers need to collaborate with external partners, suppliers and stakeholders while maintaining strict control over sensitive information. They are often balancing security, compliance and productivity at the same time.
Kahootz helps by providing a secure environment where people can share documents, manage projects and communicate effectively without compromising security. Whether it’s supporting defence supply chains, government programmes or healthcare initiatives, our platform enables organisations to work together with confidence while maintaining the governance and auditability they require.
Many of your customers rely on Kahootz to support critical projects and sensitive information sharing. What responsibility comes with providing that kind of trusted platform?
It’s a responsibility we take extremely seriously. When organisations trust us with their information and critical projects, they’re placing a great deal of confidence in our people, processes and technology.
That means continually investing in security, resilience and customer support. It means listening carefully to customers, understanding how threats and requirements evolve, and ensuring our platform continues to meet those challenges. Ultimately, trust is earned every day, and maintaining that trust is one of our most important responsibilities.
If we were sitting down again for Kahootz’s 30th anniversary, what would you hope had been achieved in the meantime?
I would hope that we’ve continued to grow while staying true to what makes Kahootz special. I’d like to see us supporting even more organisations across the UK and internationally, helping them collaborate more securely and effectively.
I’d also hope we’ve continued to innovate, particularly in areas such as AI, automation and secure information sharing, while maintaining the high levels of trust our customers expect from us.
Most importantly, I’d like us to look back and say that we helped our customers solve real national challenges, supported our people in building rewarding careers, and strengthened Kahootz’s position as the trusted platform for secure collaboration.
Interested in what your own journey with Vesta could look like?
We partner with software businesses for the long term, helping founders and leadership teams continue building on the success they’ve already achieved. If you’re considering what’s next for your business, we’d love to start the conversation. Speak to our M&A team.
