We have exciting news to share. As of this month, LockData Technologies is an employee-owned company, held in an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) for the benefit of the people who do the work. It’s one of the biggest milestones in our 26-year history. We couldn’t be prouder.
For anyone newer to LockData, a quick introduction. We’re a full-stack technology company. For more than 25 years, we’ve built for the performing arts and live events world. Our work spans ticketing integrations, custom APIs, enterprise CRM, and high-performance web applications for Broadway producers, performing arts centers, theaters, and ticketing platforms. A lot of what we do happens behind the curtain. It’s the quiet engineering that makes buying a ticket effortless for patrons, and takes manual work off the box office.
What employee ownership means
An Employee Ownership Trust holds the company for the benefit of its employees. No one has to buy shares or take on personal financial risk. In plain terms, the people building and supporting your systems now have a direct stake in doing that work well. The EOT model is still uncommon in the US and more established in the UK, which made this a deliberate choice about the kind of company we want to be.
LockData was founded by Chuck Lockwood in 2000, in the Y2K era. It was a time when many organizations needed dependable help with systems they couldn’t afford to get wrong. What began as a web development shop grew into a full-stack technology partner serving live event organizations around the world. In planning for the future, Chuck wanted to protect the company’s independence and preserve the knowledge, relationships, and values that have defined it.
“In the software development industry, twenty-six years represents an entire lifetime. Having built a dedicated team supporting dedicated clients, finding an exit strategy that could protect them from external business acquisition pressures while establishing a foundation for sustained growth was vital. After years of evaluating different succession paths, the EOT model clearly emerged as the ideal solution.” – Chuck Lockwood, President, LockData Technologies
What this means for our clients
The most important part of this news is the part that doesn’t change. The ownership structure is different, but the experience of working with LockData is not. The same team continues developing and supporting the systems our clients rely on, with the same responsiveness. If anything, that team is more invested than ever, because now they share directly in the company’s success.
Employee ownership also protects something our clients have always valued: our independence. It keeps LockData free from outside acquisition pressures. And it lets us keep evolving on our own terms, focused on the long-term relationships at the center of how we work.
Looking ahead
Staying independent for more than two decades in this industry is unusual. We’ve done it by staying close to hard problems, and to the clients who trust us with them. Employee ownership is how we carry that forward. It keeps the team, the values, and the way we work intact for the next chapter.
This is a new chapter for LockData, and an exciting one. We’re grateful to Chuck for building something worth carrying forward, and to the clients and partners who got us here. And we’re energized about what comes next, now as a company owned by the people who do the work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is LockData employee-owned?
Yes. As of 2026, LockData is an employee-owned company, held in an Employee Ownership Trust. This structure keeps us independent and aligns our entire team behind the long-term success of our clients.
What is an Employee Ownership Trust?
An Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) holds a company for the benefit of its employees, without requiring them to buy shares or take on financial risk. The model is well established in the UK and still uncommon in the US.
Does employee ownership change anything for LockData’s clients?
No. The same team continues building and supporting the systems clients rely on, with the same responsiveness. Under employee ownership, that team now has a direct stake in the company’s success.