A year of change: Kentico CEO Dominik Pintér on milestones, mindset and what's ahead in 2026
The year 2025 was marked by real-world AI adoption, a strong focus on strategy and key milestones in product evolution. In this interview, our CEO Dominik Pintér reflects on a transformative year and shares his honest thoughts on what shaped Kentico, what sets us apart in a fast-changing market and what customers can look forward to in 2026. In this interview, he shares insights on marketing, leadership, and why a flexible mindset is key to success.
Reflecting on 2025: Growth and Change
Looking back at all of 2025, how would you summarize the year from Kentico’s perspective?
If I had to summarize 2025 in one word, it would be change. It was a year full of transformation: both in the market and within our company. One of the biggest themes was, of course, AI. While the previous year was more about exploration and experimentation, in 2025 we moved into real adoption. We made significant investments in AI, especially within engineering and across various parts of the company.
We also adjusted our product roadmap, shifting more focus toward AI. Two key things stand out: AIRA, our solution for end users, and Kenticopilot, our AI assistant for developers and agencies who want to build with our product more efficiently. Both of these represent major initiatives and a big transformation in how we think and operate.
That said, the year wasn’t without its challenges. The U.S. market, one of our key regions, was quite unstable in the first half of the year due to broader economic circumstances. But we pulled through. And I’m genuinely proud of how we managed it as a team and as a company. Overall, I would say 2025 was a successful year.
What do you see as the biggest highlight of 2025, one that had the greatest impact on Kentico?
Aside from the focus on AI, I’d say one of the biggest milestones was our decision to become a more profitable company. For the first time, we set a clear goal: to shift from reinvesting everything we earned to focusing on sustainable growth and EBITDA. And already in the first quarter, we exceeded that goal, which I was really happy about.
Another important moment was the confirmation of our product transition. We introduced Xperience by Kentico back in 2023, but this year we began receiving genuinely positive feedback from the market. Our partners and customers are recognizing the value of the product, and our competitors see us as a strong player.
Of course, there’s still work ahead; especially around migrating existing customers and continuing to invest in the product so that Kentico becomes a truly AI-native company. But when it comes to the product transition, after this year I can confidently say we did it. And that’s not a small thing; it's a complex step that many companies fail to complete. For us, it was the Connection events that really confirmed we’re on the right path. The feedback from our partners made it clear.
Kentico is driven by strong company values. Was there one that resonated most in 2025?
I’d highlight two values. The first is Follow the Strategy. This year, we clearly saw that when we define a strong strategy and stick to it, it delivers results. One example is our investment in the product, where we set a strategic objective called “Speed Up Project Implementation.”
This is directly tied to Kenticopilot. We shaped our roadmap specifically to support this focus, and it’s working. We also have a long-term strategy around Kentico Partners, and we’re seeing strong results there too. Our partners are helping us generate more business and grow faster than our competitors. I believe that’s the power of having a clear strategy and being able to execute it effectively.
The second value I’d highlight is “Make an Impact.” We’ve become much more thoughtful about which activities truly create value, and which don’t. That’s helped us focus our energy in the right places. It also connects strongly to our value “Experiment and Evolve.” A good example is in marketing; even though we’ve reduced some of our investment, we’re actually seeing a better performance than before. That’s because we experimented, we identified what works and what doesn’t, and we scaled up the right things. This ability to focus on what matters and let go what doesn’t is a key to being effective today.
A Bold Start to the New Year
Let’s look at 2026. Is there anything our customers can look forward to?
We have several things in the works that our customers can look forward to but we’ll share more when the time is right.
I believe that by the summer, we’ll be celebrating a successful fiscal year. The year 2025 was challenging: the macroeconomic situation affected us, as it did many others. But now, we’re seeing things shift again, and I believe this year will be calmer.
I also think the AI hype will start to settle, and people will better understand where AI adds real value and where it doesn’t. That’s when we’ll start being truly productive with it.
On a company level, we’re planning a global Kentico party this fall, bringing the entire team from around the world to Brno to celebrate 22 years of Kentico.
And finally, 2026 marks a major product milestone: the end of the lifecycle for Kentico Xperience 13 and transition of all our customers to Xperience by Kentico. That will be a big moment: saying goodbye to the past and moving forward with one unified product.
In 2026, Kentico celebrates 22 years. How would you describe Kentico's evolution, and what are you most proud of?
I’ve known Kentico for more than 14 years now, and when I look back at how far we’ve come, I have to say it’s pretty remarkable. We work in an extremely dynamic and demanding industry, where many companies struggle to survive after just a few years. And yet, we’ve not only survived two decades, but we’ve continued to grow and evolve.
We started out as a simple CMS solution. Today, we’re a global player in the digital experience space. We’ve adapted, we’ve innovated, and we’ve never stood still; and that’s something I’m truly proud of.
What also stands out to me is that we’ve built a global business from Brno. While many companies move their headquarters to the U.S. after a few years, we’ve stayed committed to the Czech Republic and continue to contribute to the local economy. To me, the fact that a company like Kentico can be globally competitive while staying committed to its local roots, that’s something really special.
Do you have a message or wish you would like to share with Kentico customers for 2026?
I definitely have a few wishes for our customers. First, I wish everyone a calm mind and a pragmatic approach. One thing I’ve always appreciated about our customers is that they don’t jump on every new hype or buzzword.
In 2026, there will no doubt be pressure to "do everything with AI." But the key is to stay focused on real value and build solutions that make sense. That’s what I hope our customers continue to do; and of course, we’ll be here to support them as a true partner in their business and long-term success.
And lastly, what do you wish for Kentico in 2026?
The past few years have been very transformational, and I think the same will be true for the year ahead. My wish for Kentico is that we continue to have the curiosity to learn, the courage to change, and the ambition to grow.
I hope we stay united as a team, stick to our strategy, and keep moving forward together. If we do that, I believe 2026 will be another exceptional year.
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