Taxi app giant Uber is to create 150 new jobs in Limerick city by the end of 2015. Uber is to invest €4m in the city at a new Centre of Excellence focused on customer services.
The centre will create 150 jobs in the city by the end of the year and around 300 when it is fully up and running.
The company is also investing €4m in the city this year as it aims to make Limerick one of its growing network of customer service hubs.
Uber is already advertising for an initial 50 jobs as it looks to start operations in the city by the end of August, and has signed a 10-year lease on a site on Thomas Street that will become home to 300 local employees when fully operational.
“What better place to launch our first Centre of Excellence outside the US than in Ireland,” said Kieran Harte, general manager at Uber Ireland.
“We are so thrilled to be here and setting up our operations in this city, which has a tradition of welcoming innovative technology companies. Not only are we investing in the city we’re also proud to be bringing employment at all levels to the region.”
The Centre will become a major hub of Uber’s support organisation within EMEA driving innovation and service excellence for the community of Riders and Partner Drivers in the region.
Uber, the fastest-growing digital giant of our time?
Uber’s proposed new HQ in San Francisco
Uber has in just a few short years become a ubiquitous app and the company has grown to an unparalleled valuation, despite local battles with city councils and taxi unions around the world. It is estimated that Uber will generate US$10bn in revenues by the end of 2015.
The taxi app is currently used in 329 cities in 59 countries worldwide.
It emerged last month that Uber has raised total funding of US$10bn, setting a new record for US technology companies.
The company is estimated to be worth between US$40bn and US$50bn. If valued at US$40bn that values Uber at 1.5 times the capitalisation of Twitter and gives it the same capitalisation as Salesforce.com, Delta Airlines and Kraft Foods.
Uber was founded in 2009 by StumbleUpon founder Garrett Camp and CEO Travis Kalanick with US$200,000 in seed funding.
“Uber’s investment in Limerick is testament to the skills and talent of the Irish workforce. I very much welcome this decision, which demonstrates once again Ireland’s attractiveness for foreign direct investment,” Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD said.
“This will be Uber’s first customer support hub of its type outside of the United States, confirming Ireland as the location of choice for leading, innovative companies, and will be a welcome boost to Limerick and the wider region.”
Looking for tech jobs in Ireland? Check out our Featured Employers section for information on companies hiring right now.
Uber app image via Shutterstock
