ResourceSpace has changed the way the DEC uses content, making it much easier for us to quickly make assets available both internally and externally during our emergency appeals.
ResourceSpace celebrates an exciting birthday this year, as 2026 marks 20 years since Dan Huby and Neale Hall created a brand new Digital Asset Management system while working as contractors for Oxfam.
Two decades later, ResourceSpace continues to be trusted by leading charities and NGOs of all sizes, but we now also support over 500 organisations across every sector, with strong reputations among arts and heritage organisations, academic institutions, the public sector and product marketing companies.
You can find out more about how ResourceSpace was developed here, but in the meantime, let’s take a look at some of our key highlights.
Case Study: ResourceSpace + Oxfam International
ResourceSpace at 20: Key highlights
We’ve achieved a lot in the 20 years since ResourceSpace was launched. Here are some of our most important moments.
2006—ResourceSpace is born
ResourceSpace was created as "Words and Pictures" for Oxfam in 2006, after Dan Huby of Montala (working alongside UX designer Neale Hall) identified a significant gap in the DAM market for a modern, web-based solution. The platform was a success, and started to get noticed by other charities that wanted to benefit from this new approach to Digital Asset Management, leading to Oxfam releasing ResourceSpace under an open-source license.
As adoption grew, Montala expanded its activities to provide professional support, development and cloud hosting services for ResourceSpace users. What began as a solution for a single organisation soon developed into a global Digital Asset Management platform used by charities, educational institutions, public bodies and commercial organisations around the world.
2013—We open our first office
Seven years after ResourceSpace was created, we opened our first dedicated office in Oxfordshire, bringing the team into one place for the first time. Five years later, we moved to a new 5000 sq. ft. office.
2018—Granted a Royal Warrant
In 2018, Montala was granted a Royal Warrant to Her Majesty the Queen.
Montala is one of only a handful of software companies to hold a Royal Warrant. Receiving this recognition is no small achievement; it required us to demonstrate that we had provided the Royal Household with an exceptional standard of service for more than five years, as well as meeting rigorous requirements relating to environmental responsibility and sustainability.
In 2025, Montala was awarded the Royal Warrant for the second time, a testament to nearly 14 years of proudly supplying services to the Royal Household.
2020—Becomes 100% employee-owned
We’ve always had a strong focus on business ethics and community involvement, and in 2020 Montala transitioned to full employee ownership. An Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) was created to work in the best interests of current and future staff, and all staff now have a say in how the business operates.
In 2024 a profit sharing scheme was launched, giving 90% of profits to staff and 10% to charity.
2021—Partnered with Ecologi
We’ve always had a strong commitment to environmental sustainability, which is why Ecologi made a perfect partnership.
Since then, we’ve funded the planting of over 100,000 trees and have already saved over 500 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.
More details about what we’ve achieved with Ecologi, including the projects we’ve supported and all of our contributions to date, are on our Ecologi page.
2022—Certified B Corp
In 2022 we earned B Corporation (B Corp) certification, demonstrating our high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.
This was an important achievement for us because we have always taken our responsibilities to our employees, community and the environment seriously. The certification provides independent recognition that these values are embedded in how we operate as a business.
What’s next?
We’ve achieved a lot in 20 years, but what’s next for Montala and ResourceSpace?
As ResourceSpace enters its third decade, our focus remains the same as it was at the beginning: giving organisations a powerful, open, flexible and sustainable way to manage their digital assets.
What comes next is about building on that foundation: making metadata smarter, search faster and more intuitive, and workflows more connected across the systems our users already rely on.
We’ll continue to develop ResourceSpace as open source software, free from vendor lock-in, while embracing practical innovations such as our own local and ethical AI implentation, enhanced automation and best in class user experience. Our next release, ResourceSpace 11, sees the biggest overhaul to the interface to date. ResourceSpace is still evolving — shaped by our users, strengthened by our community, and ready for the next generation of Digital Asset Management.
"ResourceSpace began twenty years ago as a solution to a real-world problem for a charity. We built it because the alternatives available at the time weren't meeting their needs. Back then we had no idea it would grow into what it has become today.
That growth was through the support of our customers, the hard work of our team and contributions from the wider community. I'm grateful to everyone who has played a part in that journey.
Twenty years is a significant milestone, but our focus remains the same as it always has been: listening to our users, improving the software and providing a service people can rely on."
--- Dan Huby, Founder
