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Following a successful IPO in 2013 and consistent growth over the last decade, Irish technical and creative services company Keywords Studios won two awards at Technology Ireland’s ceremony this year.
On Saturday (23 November), Keywords Studios was named Technology Ireland Company of the Year 2019 by Technology Ireland, the Ibec group that represents the industry.
The annual awards show was held in Dublin’s Mansion House on Friday evening.
Keywords Studios is a global technical and creative services company which supports video game developers and publishers at every stage of the game development life cycle. In 2013, the company completed an IPO in London to gain access to capital markets, enabling expansion by acquisition and organic growth from cross-selling of services.
Presenting the award, Technology Ireland director Una Fitzpatrick said: “Keywords Studios was a single-site, single-service operation in Dublin 10 years ago and is now the market leader in video games services.
“From 50 people in Dublin in 2009 to employing more than 7,500 staff globally today, it’s a business that truly encompasses what it means to be the Technology Ireland Company of the Year.”
Keywords Studios also received an award for Outstanding Achievement in International Growth.
Other winners
Former Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet network manager Gerard Doyle was awarded Technology Ireland Person of the Year. During Doyle’s tenure there have been more than 10,000 industry people trained.
Technology Ireland said: “He has been instrumental in the development of countless innovative and highly technical training programmes right up to PhD level.”
A number of other awards were handed out at the ceremony, with Nova Leah winning the award for Emerging Company of the Year, Keelvar winning Technology Innovation of the Year and Singlepoint winning the award for Digital Technology Services Project of the Year.
The WomenInTech Company Initiative of the Year award was won by Cognizant, while Version 1 bagged the prize for Excellence in Talent Development. Outstanding Academic Achievement of the Year was awarded to Waterford Institute of Technology’s TSSG and PMBRC.
Commenting on the winners, Marie Treacy, partner and technology leader at EY Ireland, said: “On behalf of everybody at EY Ireland, I would like to congratulate all of the worthy winners on their wonderful achievements. The calibre of this year’s entries and winners has been hugely impressive and further validates Ireland’s status as a global hub for technology.
“As lead sponsor of the awards, we’ve seen first-hand how dynamic companies like Keywords Studios have demonstrated their ability to operate in complex and fast-moving environments and be the leaders of innovation in their fields.”
