London, 18 June 2026 – Omni Partners (“Omni”) is pleased to announce the acquisition of DEF Software Limited (“DEF”), a leading software provider for the UK local authority market. The transaction marks the ninth strategic acquisition since October 2024 for Infoshare+, Omni’s public sector-focused software and data solutions platform.
With a 30-year heritage, DEF is a trusted partner to more than 60 local authorities across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Representing an estimated 15% market share in its core verticals, the company serves a diverse customer base that spans counties, districts, boroughs and unitary authorities. DEF’s client base is notable for its many long-standing relationships, with some clients having used the company’s software for more than 25 years.
DEF’s flagship MasterGov product suite enables an integrated workflow solution designed to improve planning processes and land-use functions in local authorities, supporting core statutory processes and seamless cross-department collaboration.
Developed in partnership with local authorities, DEF’s software embeds into day-to-day operations and supports more efficient service delivery. The full product suite offers more than 20 specialist modules – most notably Planning, Building Control, Land Charges and Highways. It is supported by DEF’s Jotter mobile application, which enables integrated remote working directly within the core platform. The business is also in the final stages of developing Manifold, a next-generation solution expected to go live in late 2026. Manifold builds on the core functionalities and modules of MasterGov, delivering an enhanced and more intuitive user experience including cross-module dashboards and a new ‘worktray’ concept providing a unified view of cases and actions.
The company’s software helps local authorities navigate an increasingly difficult and constrained operating environment. The regulatory landscape around building and planning permission processes is cumbersome and complex. This complexity is coupled with material ongoing financial burdens and the ever-growing demand to deliver on house building targets. Against this backdrop, councils face growing pressure to digitise statutory workflows, drive efficiencies and improve service delivery to residents. These are the dynamics that create strong and sustained demand for the mission-critical software that DEF provides.
DEF is well positioned to capture this demand. The company’s software platform is highly differentiated, distinguished by the depth and configurability of its software solutions and speed of deployment via its proprietary migration tool. This proposition has translated into exceptional customer retention – net revenue retention stands at 109%, gross revenue retention is 99% and the company has experienced no customer losses in four years.
DEF significantly enhances Infoshare+’s capabilities by broadening the platform’s reach into infrastructure, housing and asset management. The acquisition also substantially expands Infoshare+’s footprint in Northern Ireland, presenting additional opportunities for cross-sell of the broader Infoshare+ product suite in this market. The continued expansion of Infoshare+ reflects Omni’s strategy of building a scaled and integrated software platform for the UK public sector, characterised by strong recurring revenues, compelling margins and enduring client partnerships.
Wayne Story, Partner at Omni, commented:
“We’re delighted to welcome the DEF team to Infoshare+. MasterGov is a best-in-class solution that sits at the heart of how councils deliver some of their most critical statutory functions. With a 30-year track record, deeply embedded client relationships and exceptional retention metrics, DEF exemplifies the kind of high-quality, mission-led business we’re targeting as we continue to expand Infoshare+.”
Steve Thorn, Executive Chairman at Infoshare+, said:
“DEF is a fantastic addition to Infoshare+. The team has built a market-leading product with a well-deserved reputation for the quality of their solution and the strength of their customer relationships. DEF’s comprehensive coverage considerably strengthens what we can offer councils across the UK. We’re excited to bring DEF into the platform and to work alongside the team to accelerate what they have already built.”
Graeme Cooke, Director DEF, added:
“Infoshare+ is the perfect home for our business. Over the last three decades, we have built MasterGov hand-in-hand with the local authorities we serve, and we are proud of the trust they place in us. Becoming part of Infoshare+ gives our team and our clients access to a much broader public sector ecosystem and the resources to accelerate the rollout of Manifold and our wider product roadmap.”
Omni was advised by Mayer Brown (Legal), DSW (Financial & Tax), LucidIQ (Technology) and Armstrong (Customer Referencing). DEF was advised by Rickitt Mitchell (Corporate Finance) and Sintons (Legal).
