Vista Equity Partners Completes Acquisition of KnowBe4
KnowBe4, Inc. (“KnowBe4”), the provider of the world’s largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, today announced the completion of its acquisition by Vista Equity Partners (“Vista”), a leading global investment firm focused exclusively on enterprise software, data and technology-enabled businesses, for $24.90 per share in cash.
“Today’s acquisition is a significant milestone for the entire KnowBe4 team. It’s representative of our achievements to date, as well as our potential for continued long-term growth,” said Stu Sjouwerman, founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of KnowBe4. “Vista provides the resources and operational expertise to enhance customer value. We’re thrilled to embark on this next chapter and realize our goals for addressing cybersecurity’s weakest link.”
“The human element remains one of the most important yet neglected aspects of cybersecurity,” said Michael Fosnaugh, Co-Head of Vista’s Flagship Fund and Senior Managing Director. “The opportunity to scale a business that is truly mission-critical to enterprises around the world is core to Vista’s investment approach and value creation efforts. This, combined with Stu’s track record as a visionary founder and KnowBe4’s demonstrated product leadership, makes partnering with the Company very exciting.”
With the completion of the transaction, KnowBe4 shares have ceased trading and are no longer listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market.
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC served as financial advisor and Potter Anderson & Corroon served as legal counsel to KnowBe4’s Special Committee. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation served as legal advisor to KnowBe4.
Guggenheim Securities, LLC served as financial advisor and Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal counsel for Vista.
About KnowBe4
KnowBe4, the provider of the world’s largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, is used by more than 56,000 organizations around the globe. Founded by IT and data security specialist Stu Sjouwerman, KnowBe4 helps organizations address the human element of security by raising awareness about ransomware, CEO fraud and other social engineering tactics through a new-school approach to awareness training on security. Kevin Mitnick, an internationally recognized cybersecurity specialist and KnowBe4’s Chief Hacking Officer, helped design the KnowBe4 training based on his well-documented social engineering tactics. Tens of thousands of organizations rely on KnowBe4 to mobilize their end users as their last line of defense.
About Vista Equity Partners
Vista is a leading global investment firm with more than $95 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2022. The firm exclusively invests in enterprise software, data and technology-enabled organizations across private equity, permanent capital, credit and public equity strategies, bringing an approach that prioritizes creating enduring market value for the benefit of its global ecosystem of investors, companies, customers and employees. Vista's investments are anchored by a sizable long-term capital base, experience in structuring technology-oriented transactions and proven, flexible management techniques that drive sustainable growth. Vista believes the transformative power of technology is the key to an even better future – a healthier planet, a smarter economy, a diverse and inclusive community and a broader path to prosperity. Further information is available at vistaequitypartners.com. Follow Vista on LinkedIn, @Vista Equity Partners, and on Twitter, @Vista_Equity.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230201005656/en/
Contact information
For media inquiries, contact:
Brian W. Steel
media@vistaequitypartners.com
+1-212-804-9170
Kathy Wattman
Public Relations
PR@KnowBe4.com
(727) 474-9950
For investor inquiries, contact:
Ken Talanian
Investor Relations
IR@Knowbe4.com
(727) 286-3584
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Core42 “Maximus-384” Cluster Secures Top 20 Ranking on the Global TOP500 Supercomputers List18.11.2025 15:24:00 EET | Press release
Core42, a G42 company specializing in sovereign cloud and AI infrastructure, announced that itsMaximus-384 supercomputer has been ranked No. 20 globally on the TOP500 List, the industry’s most recognized benchmark for publicly known supercomputing systems. The ranking highlights the performance of the AMD Instinct™ MI300X GPU-based “Maximus” cluster, operated at the company’s facility in Buffalo, New York and released ahead of Supercomputing 2025, the leading global conference for HPC. The TOP500 list tracks performance trends across the global supercomputing systems using the High Performance Linpack benchmark (HPL) benchmark. Securing a top-20 position reflects exceptional engineering across compute, memory, storage, and networking, and validates the cluster’s ability to support large scale AI and HPC workloads under sustained production conditions. Through G42’s strategic collaboration with AMD, Core42’s Buffalo deployment features more than 9,000+ AMD Instinct MI300X GPUs configure
Armis Streamlines Network and Security Operations by Utilizing Keysight’s Application Fusion Platform18.11.2025 15:00:00 EET | Press release
Armis, the cyber exposure management & security company, and Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS) today announced that Armis’ cyber exposure management technology will now run directly on the Keysight Vision E1S network packet brokers, with additional models expected to support Application Fusion in the future. Through the Application Fusion interface, Armis’ technology can now run directly on the Keysight network packet brokers, combining network visibility with continuous cyber exposure management and security capabilities. By providing immediate, actionable insights across the entire network, without the need for additional hardware, security teams can respond to threats faster, proactively reduce risk and increase operational efficiency. “Businesses must see and secure every asset in their environment to effectively protect against today’s evolving threats,” said Nadir Izrael, CTO and Co-Founder at Armis. “Using both network visibility and security with cyber exposure managemen
Parse Biosciences Announces FFPE-compatible Barcoding Technology for Whole Transcriptome Single Cell Analysis18.11.2025 15:00:00 EET | Press release
Parse Biosciences, the leading provider of scalable and accessible single cell sequencing solutions, today announced a breakthrough technology that unlocks the full potential of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples. By enabling whole transcriptome capture from archived tissues at single cell resolution, this innovation opens new possibilities for discovery in oncology, translational research, and precision medicine. The use of FFPE samples for single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has traditionally been limited to profiling a predefined list of genes due to RNA degradation and fragmentation, reducing transcriptome coverage and discovery potential. Parse’s breakthrough overcomes these challenges with a novel split-pool combinatorial barcoding method that enables true transcriptome-wide scRNA-seq of FFPE-preserved tissues through its unique RNA capture chemistry. This advancement allows researchers to analyze thousands to millions of cells from hundreds of samples simultaneo
KP Labs and Frontgrade Gaisler Join Forces to Advance Fault-Tolerant Computing for Next-Generation Space Missions18.11.2025 15:00:00 EET | Press release
KP Labs, a European Leader in delivering autonomous systems for space applications and Frontgrade™ Gaisler Technologies, a leading provider of high-reliability electronic solutions for space and national security missions have signed a Memorandum of Understanding during the Space Tech Expo Europe in Bremen, Germany. The agreement establishes a framework for collaboration in developing and validating advanced on-board computing architectures designed to increase the autonomy and resilience of future space missions. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251118359687/en/ As satellite operators and mission designers increasingly rely on on-board data processing and autonomy, maintaining fault tolerance and reliability has become a critical priority. To meet these demands, modern spacecraft integrates radiation-hardened components and advanced FDIR (Fault Detection, Isolation and Recovery) systems that ensure stable oper
ACE Fiber uses Adtran’s Mosaic One Clarity AI solution for proactive assurance, faster resolution and fewer truck rolls18.11.2025 15:00:00 EET | Press release
Adtran today announced that ACE Fiber, the broadband subsidiary of Mississippi’s ACE Power, is using its Mosaic One Clarity solution, built on the REAL AI platform, to move from reactive troubleshooting to proactive assurance across ACE Fiber’s expanding network. Mosaic One Clarity consolidates network and in-home data, identifies likely root causes and provides guided actions that help teams resolve issues faster and avoid unnecessary site visits. By detecting early signs of fiber performance issues and showing which subscribers are affected, Mosaic One Clarity enables more right-first-time resolutions. Early results show up to 75% fewer trouble tickets in the first month, reducing operational strain and improving customer satisfaction. “Our goal was simple – stop reacting and start preventing,” said Sean M. McGrath, GM and CEO of ACE Fiber. “With Adtran’s Mosaic One Clarity, we can anticipate issues and resolve them before they disrupt service. That shift means fewer on-site visits,
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom