Beyond the capital Dublin, it is worth celebrating the fact that scaling global tech players are emerging from all corners of Ireland generating jobs and boosting wealth in the regions.
According to lobby group Scale Ireland, there are currently more than 2,200 indigenous tech start-up and scale-up companies, employing more than 52,000 people, in Ireland.
For each additional job created by a start-up, five additional jobs are created in the wider economy.
There are 943 start-up and scaling companies based outside of Dublin.
While Dublin captures the limelight for the sheer concentration of tech businesses, there are amazing things happening in other towns and cities in Ireland. Here’s just a flavour of what’s happening:
AMCS
One of the Limerick region’s standout success stories waste management software business AMCS has more than 4,000 customers worldwide and has offices in North America, Europe and Australia employing more than 1,000 people.
AMCS CEO Jimmy Martin, recently told the Scale Ireland regional summit that the region has been integral to its growth story and enabling it to grow at a scale that will see it achieve revenues of more than €40m next year
“Limerick has been a good home to us, allowing us to grow internationally with good access to airports, access to employees and investors.”
The secret to its success, however, has been access to innovative people.
“We have good opportunities to grow good software companies out of this region.”
Bluedrop Medical
Bluedrop has developed a device which diabetic patients use to scan their feet at home. This scan is then uploaded to the cloud and checked by AI to see if they are at risk of developing a diabetic foot ulcer, which if left unchecked can lead to amputation. Amputations caused by this have increased in Ireland by 45% in the last decade. Bluedrop Medical was founded by Chris Murphy and Simon Kiersey in 2015 to reduce the rate of preventable amputations for people afflicted with diabetes. Across the US and Europe, more than 250,000 amputations associated with diabetes occur each year, resulting in healthcare costs of over €30bn. In 2021, 645 of those amputations took place in Ireland, an increase of 45% over the previous decade. The business recently raised €10.5m in a funding round that will enable it to create 25 new jobs.
B-Secur
Belfast-based B-Secur has developed a world first software technique that uses an individual’s unique heartbeat pattern, known as electrocardiogram (ECG) in everyday technologies to securely identify, and provide health and wellness insights at the same time. The business, led by Alan Foreman, recently raised $12m in an investment round led by US-based First Capital Ventures and The Bank of Ireland Kernel Capital Growth Fund NI, with other existing investors also participating.
Chevron College
Employing more than 150 people and with annual revenues approaching €20m per annum, Wexford-based Chevron College is now one of the biggest e-learning players focused on providing certified training programmes in the healthcare, childcare and renewable energy sectors to more than 10,000 students per annum.
The business last year acquired a Dublin-based Oiliúna Training. Operating from a state-of-the-art training centre in Blanchardstown, Oiliúna has vast experience in delivering career-focused education programmes in the areas of business, management and IT.
President and CEO Karl Fitzpatrick became the sole owner of Chevron College in 2012 and since then has secured Higher Education status for the College with Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) and has introduced a range of online Postgraduate qualifications which include Blockchain and Financial Technologies, Cyber Security, Data Science and a BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Education and Care.
CitySwift
CitySwift founders Alan Farrelly and Brian O’Rourke
CitySwift specialises in helping local bus networks run more efficiently through the use of predictive analytics and big data. Founded by Brian O’Rourke and Alan Farrelly, CitySwift is a data analytics business on the move.
The business recently raised €7m in a funding round led by Gresham House Ventures. The round also included all existing investors following including Irelandia Investments, the Western Development Commission and ACT Venture Capital with the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF).
This was followed by the opening of CitySwift’s first office in the UK and plans to create 50 new jobs.
Founded in 2016, CitySwift is a homegrown Galway headquartered company with a rapidly expanding team of 65 employees building an international roadmap.
A market leader working with all the leading UK operators and Public Sector Authorities, the business has consistently doubled recurring revenue over the last three years and is expanding globally into Europe, the United States, the Middle East, and South East Asia.
Galvia
Formerly known as Chatspace, Galvia is a a decision intelligence platform that supports organisations to make better decisions through their data. The Galway business since 2017 has worked with some of the largest companies in the world including Nestlé and Atos as well as introducing an AI powered student engagement platform for NUI Galway. “Project Management is integral to enterprise,” Galvia CEO and founder John Clancy told ThinkBusiness.ie. “The vast majority of work is and will continue to be project-based. Studies show that half of all projects underperform and one third fail and it is estimated that failed IT projects cost enterprises €250bn a year across the US and Europe. Management is often limited to the subjective optimism or pessimism of project managers which can result in unnecessary and costly micromanagement.”
Getvisibility
Last year Getvisibility revealed plans to to expand its machine learning engineering and data science department to 30 people.
The Cork business has developed an AI-powered platform for data discovery, classification, security and governance.
The AI Academy is being developed to attract the right talent into the organisation, particularly for the machine learning engineering and data science department.
Green Rebel
Green Rebel provides a full range of survey and data services to the offshore renewable energy industry.
Cork-born business Green Rebel recently revealed how it is expanding to Limerick and has revealed plans to create 75 new jobs.
Green Rebel provides a full range of survey and data services to the offshore renewable energy (ORE) industry and is actively recruiting for 25 highly-skilled positions.
Green Rebel was established by Irish entrepreneur Pearse Flynn in 2020 and specialises in acquiring, processing and analysing marine, aerial and met-ocean data using survey boats and aircraft as well as LiDAR buoys and innovative technologies that are designed and assembled in Limerick. Green Rebel has live and upcoming projects in Ireland, Scotland and off the coast of mainland Europe. There are also a number of potential projects in international markets such as the United States and Australia.
Global Shares
Global Shares is one of a handful of companies globally that offers fully outsourced employee share plan management.
In 2023 New York banking giant JP Morgan completed the acquisition of the Clonakilty tech firm.
Founded in 2005, at the time of its acquisition Global Shares had an expansive client base of approximately 650 corporate clients that range from early-stage start-ups to mature multinational public corporations.
HoloToyz
Meath-based Irish augmented reality technology start-up HoloToyz recently took home the coveted prize for its ‘outstandingly innovative’ Paw Patrol Tattoos and Stickers at Spielwarenmesse, the world’s biggest toy fair. The business was founded by Kate Scott and Declan Fahy. With the HoloToyz technology augmented reality tattoos and stickers come to life in a whole new way, providing kids with an interactive and immersive play experience like never before. Kids can watch as their favourite Paw Patrol characters come to life right before their eyes, thanks to the magic of augmented reality. For the first time, they can also place their favourite pups in their room and capture them on camera.
Hooke Bio
Hooke Bio has developed a unique ultra-high-throughput screening microfluidic platform that will allow improved drug screening at the crucial early drug discovery phase.
In 2023 it emerged as one of four Enterprise Ireland-backed companies have won funding approvals of up to €18m in the latest competition under Horizon Europe’s European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator Programme. Hooke Bio spun out from University of Limerick in 2017 and is currently based in Shannon, Co. Clare, Ireland.
“Hooke Bio’s Mera platform will be transformative for the drug development process,” said Aaron Hannon, co-founder and CEO of Luminate Medical. “Our success in the EIC accelerator will allow us to bring this to market faster enabling us to have a positive impact on the lives of patients throughout the world.”
HRLocker
Lahinch, Co Clare-based HRLocker is a cloud-based HR software service that digitally transforms people management and recruitment. HRLocker’s SaaS solution makes the management of office-based, remote, and distributive workforces possible. HRLocker is a Deliberately Developmental Organisation (DDO) with adult development at the heart of everything they do. Led by founder and CEO Adam Coleman, HRLocker is planning to hire 50 new staff over the next two years after raising €2m in funding.
HR Duo
Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, business HR Duo, provides HR solutions to SMEs by integrating industry knowledge with the latest technology to deliver the estimated 80% of HR requirements that can be automated. This easy to use, low cost, and up-to-date ‘always on’ availability make it ideal for its target market of SMEs with 50-1,000 employees, acting as a bolt-on support to HR personnel, or indeed as a HR back-up for companies without a dedicated HR department. Led by CEO Jerome Forde, the business recently raised €4.5m in a Series A funding round.
Keelvar
UCC spin-out company Keelvar’s technology addresses inefficiencies in the global trillion-dollar procurement marketplace.
Its sourcing technology – which leverages AI, data science and smart sourcing bots that run on autopilot – empowers customers to make crucial supply chain decisions quickly and confidently amidst ongoing change and disruption.
“Procurement is broken. Costs are out of control, capacity is scarce and disruptions are everywhere. This dynamic makes it incredibly difficult for buyers and suppliers to remain agile, manage risk and strike deals,” said Alan Holland, founder and CEO of Keelvar.
“We see an immense opportunity to alleviate economic and supply chain bottlenecks by making the sourcing process easier, faster and more intelligent. Our technology fundamentally changes what’s possible by offering a new approach to intelligent automation and optimisation.”
Klearcom
Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning, Waterford business Klearcom tests Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems used by businesses to manage incoming calls. Operating across four continents, the company’s global client base spans all industries and includes large multinational pharma, enterprise software, credit card and emergency services companies.
The business recently raised €1.5m in an investment round led by Furthr VC with Enterprise Ireland and HBAN’s Bloom Equity syndicate also contributing to the round.
Klearcom is currently on-track to grow to a team of 50 by year-end 2024, while revenues are expected to more than double this year. The investment will support the team growth and the company plans to add to its technical, marketing and sales teams. Its technical team will be based in Waterford, while marketing and sales hires will be split between Waterford and the US.
Kneat Gx
Limerick-headquartered Kneat Gx helps life sciences to comply with the requirements of all global regulatory bodies such as the FDA and WHO.
Kneat Gx, enables an end-to-end paperless process for all validations, commissioning and qualification, production execution and quality document management. It allows users to electronically create, approve and execute all records, manage any exceptions and post approve.
The business was founded by Eddie Ryan, Kevin Fitzgerald and Brian Ahearne in 2007.
It raised €13.7m in a public share offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange in February 2024.
LearningPool
AI technology revealed by Learning Pool helps companies identify and respond to skills gaps as they emerge in their organisations.
The Derry business is leveraging the know-how of People-Analyltix, a Swiss AI pioneer it recently acquired.
Learning Pool said its new technology reflects a profound change in learning technologies and a fundamental shift in how organisations think about talent and development.
“Every global enterprise is struggling to attract and retain skilled employees, and the widening skills gaps that are stopping businesses from growing at the pace they desire are apparent in every boardroom conversation,” said Ben Betts, CEO of Learning Pool.
“Learning Pool’s acquisition of People-Analytix, and the subsequent advancements it will bring to our platform, means that we can now give customers the power to automatically address skills gaps as they appear. It is a tremendously exciting technology and a fundamental component in our wider mission to support talent development in creating extraordinary performers.”
LegitFit
Founded in 2019 by Ryan O’ Neill, Gearoid Collins and Ian O’ Sullivan, LegitFit provides gyms, studios and independent fitness professionals with business management software that saves its customers up to €10,000 per year. Its core mission is to empower fitness entrepreneurs, to optimise their time so they can focus on what really matters to them – be that inside or outside the business. The platform manages the core aspects of running a fitness business including member management, scheduling, payments and communications. LegitFit recently closed a €1m seed funding round led by Delta Partners. Bank of Ireland is a cornerstone investor in Delta’s latest fund along with Enterprise Ireland, Fexco and others, which aims to invest in 30 of Ireland’s most innovative and exciting tech start-ups.
Mbryonics
Galway space tech company Mbryonics is at the forefront of transforming satellite communications.
Mbryonics wasapproved for a recommended investment of €17.5m from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator.
The business is transforming satellite communications, datacoms, and 5G wireless sectors through cutting-edge wireless optical transport and Coherent Photonic-Optical (CPO) transceiver technologies, ensuring high-speed, secure communication infrastructures in space, air, and on land.
NearForm
Waterford-headquartered NearForm develops enterprise software to help large corporate and public sector companies scale their platforms for the digital economy.
The business was co-founded by Cian Ó Maidín and Paul Savage in 2011.
Using open-source software, their digital products deliver secure mobile and web platforms that can scale to meet industry and consumer demands.
NearForm’s open source approach has accelerated cost-effective digital transformations for clients including Walmart, IBM, and Condé Nast.
During the pandemic it developed the most widely adopted Covid contract tracing app code, Covid Green, used from New York to New Zealand.
In 2021 the business revealed plans to grow five-fold after securing a strategic investment from Columbia Capital to support market penetration and scale its operations across North America and Europe.
Last year it emerged that NearForm acquired Formidable, a global design and engineering consultancy founded in Seattle.
Nova Leah
Anita Finnegan is the CEO and founder of cybersecurity player Novah Leah a company she started as a spinout from Dundalk IT focused on improving improve the security of connected devices used by healthcare providers. As an internationally recognised expert in Medical Device Cybersecurity she also has a strong background in software quality processes, engineering and quality engineering roles across multiple highly-regulated domains. The company has gone from strength-to-strength and has raised investment from backers that include Bank of Ireland Kernel Capital Growth Fund as well as Suir Valley Ventures and Enterprise Ireland.
Payslip
Mayo business Payslip is scaling globally due to skyrocketing of demand for payroll services by multinationals that have postponed the return to the office.
Payslip was founded in Westport, Mayo, in 2015 by Fidelma McGuirk. Payslip’s software-as-a-service platform empowers payroll professionals to streamline their global payroll processes. One of Ireland’s hottest start-ups Payslip is expanding its presence to more than 60 countries having seen a surge in demand for hybrid workforces as a result of the pandemic.
Phoenix Recruitment
Led by co-CEOs Ed Rossiter and Ruth Lyndon, Phoenix Recruitment offers recruitment services to companies within the Tech, FinTech, Financial Services, and Professional Services sectors. The Irish headquartered company raised a €1m investment last year to help fuel its international growth plans. Since then the business has gone from strength to strength further expanding into three global geographies with offices currently in Limerick, Dublin, London, and most recently New York. The Phoenix New York office is based in the iconic Chrysler Building on the East Side of Manhattan. Currently the company employs over 50 people worldwide and is expanding across all locations.
Protex AI
Protex AI develops an AI-powered proactive health and safety technology that enables an injury-free industrial workplace.
The business was founded in Limerick in 2021 by CEO Dan Hobbs and chief technology officer Ciaran O’Mara.
Protex AI uses computer vision to identify health and safety issues and reduce injuries.
The business last year raised $18m in a Series A round led by Notion Capital with participation from Playfair Capital, Elkstone and Firstminute Capital.
“The strategic investment from both Flexport and SCOR Ventures is a clear indicator that there’s a need for technology-based solutions to radically improve safety standards in the industry,” Hobbs said at the time.
“Protex AI has a compelling proposition to address this need. With the cost of workplace accidents estimated at $171bn in the US alone due to losses in productivity, insurance, and medical expenses; safety technology is a growing space as companies look to prevent huge losses in costs and time.”
Provizio
Provizio is a Limerick tech business founded by entrepreneur Barry Lunn with the ambition to make its autonomous accident-prevention technology in cars as ubiquitous as seat belts
Lunn, who sold his previous business Arralis an aircraft radar technology firm, for a reported $50m in 2017, set about assembling a dream team of experts in robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and vision-and-radar sensor development.
The product is a five-dimensional sensory vision system that will augment drivers’ capabilities and prevent accidents in real-time and beyond line of sight.
Provizio has raised $6.2m in funding from a range of investors including Movidius founders Seán Mitchell and David Moloney, automotive entrepreneur Bobby Hambrick as well as the European Innovation Council and Act Venture Capital.
An estimated 1.35m people are killed every year in road traffic accidents with more than 20m injured, according to the World Health Organisation, costing more than $2trn in the US alone.
94% of these crashes are caused by human error. Lunn wants to fix this by creating a device that can be installed in most cars for a unit cost of less than $100.
“Augmenting the human driver without being intrusive is the next generation of safety,” Lunn told ThinkBusiness recently.
Ronspot
Starting out as a corporate parking management solution in 2018, Ronspot has evolved to a three-in-one space management platform designed to make hybrid working easy, while also supporting efficiency in the workplace. The cloud-based application enables users to book car and bicycle parking, hot desks and meeting rooms, as well as manage visitor requirements and other resources including lockers – all on one unified mobile app. Users can see real-time availability, as well as the bookings of their colleagues. Led by CEO Michael Furey, the business revealed plans to create 10 jobs after raising €1.1m in an investment round led by Furthr VC along with Halo Business Angel Network (HBAN) and Enterprise Ireland.
Shorla Pharma
Started in 2018 by Sharon Cunningham and Orlaith Ryan, Clonmel, Co Tipperary, start-up Shorla focuses on developing oncology drugs with a focus on rare, orphan and paediatric cancers. Together with a strong team of scientists, clinicians and an extensive industry network, the company has an advanced pipeline of innovative drug products to treat a number of unmet patient needs. The funding will support the advancement of the product pipeline, along with expansion of technical and commercial operations in both Ireland and the US. In 2021, the company raised €7.4m in a Series A investment round. In recent weeks Shorla secured FDA approval for its leukaemia drug.
Scurri
Locally born but globally successful e-commerce player Scurri recently revealed that 40 new jobs are to be created at its new state-of-the-art European headquarters in Wexford.
Led by CEO Rory O’Connor and based in the heart of Wexford Town on Selskar Street, Scurri is an innovative delivery management platform that connects and optimises the entire online ordering, shipping and delivery process for retailers.
Following the company’s launch in 2010, hugely successful enterprise Scurri has grown its global footprint, processing over €10.5bn worth of shipments worldwide in 2023 alone. To date, it has raised €15.3m in investment through Gresham House, ACT & Episode, Enterprise Ireland and private angel investors.
One of Scurri’s biggest customers is eBay along with footwear brand DuBarry and sports clothing business O’Neills.
Sidero (now GlobalLogic)
Led by Carmel Owens, Sidero is one of a coterie of tech and life sciences businesses that have grown up in and around Athlone, including FDI businesses like Ericsson as well as Jazz Pharmaceuticals and Alexion.
Last year Hitachi subsidiary GlobalLogic entered into an agreement to Sidero for an undisclosed sum.
Its experience design and engineering teams based in Athlone and Newry, Northern Ireland, facilitate the creation of innovative solutions that will directly benefit GlobalLogic’s current and future clients.
Sidero Ltd. was founded in Athlone in 2013. The business employs 230 people.
Siren
Scaling Galway tech business Siren, which specialises in cyber intelligence and works with law enforcement agencies all over the world, last year raised €12m in backing from the European Investment Back to fight cybercrime.
Its technology allows investigators to make complex searches, organise the results visually and create advanced reports to share findings with their teams. The platform is also used by large corporations to protect their assets and networks against fraud and cyber threats.
The Galway firm has partnered with US based non-profit organisations like the Anti-Human Trafficking Intelligence Initiative (ATII) and the National Child Protection Task Force (NCPTF) who use its patented technology to solve complex intelligence problems, identify traffickers and reduce human trafficking.
Siren was founded in Galway in 2014 by Giovanni Tummarello and Renaud Delbru as a spinout from Data Intensive Infrastructure, a Big Data research group at NUI Galway.
CEO John Randles (pictured above) joined the company as CEO in 2017 after having played a leading role in the success of a number of other well-known indigenous Irish success stories, including banking software player Eontec which was acquired by Siebel and market data player Polarlake which was acquired by Bloomberg.
Spotlight Oral Care
Set up several ago by Dr Lisa and Dr Vanessa Creaven, two sisters who are both dentists along with Dr Barry Buckley, Spotlight has developed safe and effective oral care products that are clinically proven to target your dental needs. Since 2016, the oral care brand has revolutionised the industry, with their toothpaste tubes being the first 100pc recyclable tube in the world. Spotlight Oral Care develops, markets, and sells a comprehensive range of products for specific consumer oral care needs both online and through blue-chip retailers in Europe, the UK, and the United States. The company currently has 17 products in its range, all of which are clinically formulated and tailored to target specific oral health needs using clean, active ingredients. Spotlight Oral Care has experienced significant demand and growth over the past 18 months, with turnover trebling to €19m in the last financial year. In 2022 the company raised €12m in a funding round led by Development Capital that will enable the company to drive its international expansion into Europe and the US.
Transfermate
Founded in Kilkenny in 2010 by Terry Clune, TransferMate recently joined the unicorn club after a new $70m funding round that brought the company to a valuation of $1bn. The deal sees CEO Sinead Fizmaurice become the first woman CEO of an Irish unicorn.
TransferMate has grown its global licensing infrastructure and banking network to be one of the widest in the industry and has been chosen as the partner of choice to power B2B payments products for some of the largest software platforms, innovative banks and fintechs in the world. It allows businesses and individuals to make cross-border payments in more than 201 countries and 141 currencies, as easily and cost-effectively as if making a domestic funds transfer, and with complete transparency of the transaction through to the point of final reconciliation.
Founder Terry Clune, CEO of CluneTech, won Deal of the Year at The Irish Times Business Person of the Year Awards after the business agreed to sell its sister payroll software developer Immedis to US multinational UKG in a deal worth €575m, valuing Clune’s holding at around €345m.
TitanHQ
Cloud-based email and web protection company TitanHQ has seen recruitment surge almost 45pc since last year. The expansion comes as TitanHQ has welcomed an influx of new business as more managed service providers and SMBs seek better and more powerful email and web security solutions. Headquartered in Salthill, Galway, and with offices in Tampa, Florida, TitanHQ are a 25-year young multi-award-winning cloud security vendor. The company is trusted by over 12,000 businesses including 2,500 MSPs across 150 countries, protecting companies including T-Mobile, Virgin, O2, ViaSat, Pepsi, and Datto. In addition to its organic year-on-year growth, recent significant investment from Livingbridge investor group has turbocharged the company’s growth. This has allowed TitanHQ to accelerate ambitious growth plans through increased investment in product development and in people.
Webio
Limerick and Dublin-based Webio provides conversational middleware for very large companies in retail, financial services, and utilities. Founded by Paul Sweeney, Graham Brierton, Mark Oppermann and Cormac O’Neill, Webio operates in the conversational AI market which is expected to grow to €11bn by 2024. While its customers have been predominantly in the Irish and UK markets, Webio has recently secured several key partnerships in Europe and the US, laying the foundations for future growth. Last year Webio secured $4m to scale its conversational AI technology for use in the collections and payments industry worldwide. The Series A investment was led by Finch Capital.
Xerotech
Galway-based Xerotech is a world leader in advanced battery system for non-road mobile machinery. Its Hibernium battery pack platform allows heavy-duty machinery to be configured as electric vehicles. Xerotech has a proven track record of delivering high-performance battery solutions for a wide range of applications, from mining and construction equipment to marine and aviation vehicles. Led by CEO Barry Flannery, Xerotech has just announced 100 new roles to support its drive to meet rising demand worldwide.
xOcean
Data gathered by uncrewed surface vessels made by Louth business Xocean have the potential to transform ocean exploration as well as offshore wind farms by gathering whole oceans’ worth of data. Founded by James Ives, Xocean’s data technology allows large businesses such as energy companies to survey the ocean floor to do everything from discovering minerals, maintaining important fibre optic telecoms networks to surveying for suitable locations for offshore wind farms. The company in 2021 secured €8m in an investment round that values the company at more than €100m.
YellowSchedule
A tool for effective patient management, Limerick-based YellowSchedule has developed an online appointment management and client CRM tool for therapists.
The business was founded in 2012 by Martina and Michael Skelly.
During the pandemic, YellowSchedule developed a visitor scheduling platform which provided a secure way for family members to book visits to hospitals and care facilities.
The innovation led to the business scooping one of the top awards at HealthTech, Ireland’s annual Health Technology Innovation Awards, in 2021.
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