Pizzas, People & Purpose: Inside Ooni’s Global Rise

In just over a decade, Ooni has gone from a crowdfunding idea launched by two founders in Scotland to one of Britain s most remarkable modern consumer brands. Its pizza ovens are now sold in more than 90 countries, with over 3 million ovens sold worldwide and annual revenues surging from 57m to more than 200m during its extraordinary rise. But the really interesting story is not just the growth. It s how co-founders Darina Garland and Kristian Tapaninaho built a company culture capable of surviving hypergrowth, global expansion and intense operational pressure without losing its creativity, energy or sense of purpose. In this live SXSW London conversation, entrepreneur, UK Board of Trade advisor and Next Gen CEO author Mike Soutar sits down with Darina to explore the leadership principles, founder dynamics and strategic decisions behind Ooni s rise from Kickstarter startup to category-defining global business. Expect a candid discussion about scaling culture, building a community-led brand, navigating pressure, making difficult decisions at speed and why some companies manage to stay human even as they become huge.