Blacknight joins Your.Online to accelerate long-term growth

Blacknight, Ireland’s leading domain registrar and hosting provider, today announced it is joining 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 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. The company provides domains, hosting, cloud infrastructure, email, colocation, and online solutions to businesses, developers, organisations, and entrepreneurs.

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.

A new chapter for the same Blacknight

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.

“This is not about changing who we are,” said Michele Neylon, CEO and co-founder of Blacknight. “It is about strengthening the foundations for the future. Blacknight has always believed that Ireland deserves world-class digital infrastructure delivered by people who understand the local market. Joining Your.Online ensures we can continue building for the long term while remaining true to the values that brought us here.”

Koen van Deudekom, General Manager of the Presence segment at Your.Online, is delighted to welcome Blacknight to the group: “Blacknight has built an exceptional reputation over more than two decades and is recognised as one of the most respected digital infrastructure providers in Ireland. Its strong leadership, technical expertise, and deep connection to the Irish market make it an ideal addition to the Your.Online family. We are delighted to welcome Michele Neylon, Paul Kelly, and the entire Blacknight team to the group and look forward to supporting their continued growth while preserving the independence and values that have made Blacknight so successful.”

Paul Kelly, CTO and co-founder of Blacknight, added: “We have always taken a long-term approach to technology, infrastructure, and customer relationships. Becoming part of Your.Online allows us to continue investing in innovation and resilience while staying true to the principles Blacknight was built on. It is an exciting milestone for our team and for the future of the business.”

Local roots and long-term strength

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.