Agio is the latest in a series of tech companies that have honed in on Belfast as an area for expansion.
US cybersecurity and IT company Agio plans to create 100 jobs at a new technology centre in Belfast. The New York-headquartered company provides AI-enabled technology services for the finance industry.
Recruitment has already begun for the roles, which will be a mix of remote and on-site positions at Agio’s Belfast tech centre.
Roles to be filled include public cloud engineers, end user analysts, cybersecurity consultants and business development positions. Around 19 jobs have already been filled.
Agio’s investment in the area is the latest in a series of recent announcements by cybersecurity and tech companies that have been attracted to the region. Earlier today (13 September), Japanese cybersecurity company Nihon Cyber Defence revealed it will also open an office in Belfast, creating 10 new jobs.
US workplace management company Workrise recently announced plans to hire 153 people over the next four years at its software engineering centre in Belfast, and US wireless network and tech firm Safety NetAccess chose Belfast as the location for its new tech centre and plans to create 40 new jobs by 2023.
Invest NI, which has been instrumental in supporting many of these expansions into Belfast, will provide Agio with £650,000 of support towards the creation of the new jobs.
“We are working with businesses, academia and government to help future-proof the ICT skills pipeline, to enhance Northern Ireland’s already strong proposition as a prime location to establish or grow a business,” said Invest NI CEO Kevin Holland.
“There are also initiatives to help attract back talent currently working elsewhere to ensure we have the right talent to meet the needs of this growing sector. We look forward to following and supporting Agio’s business journey in Northern Ireland.”
Northern Ireland’s economy minister, Gordon Lyons, added that he was delighted to welcome Agio to the region’s “impressive cluster of fintech companies”.
“Agio’s investment here will add to our pool of expertise, and will lead to the creation of 100 high-quality technology jobs over the next five years,” Lyons continued.
He added that investments like Agio’s would play an important role in North Ireland’s economic recovery following the pandemic. Earlier this year, Lyons’ department set out its 10x Economy plan to deliver a “10 times better economy”.
“My department’s 10X Economy vision is centred on focusing on the core technologies and clusters where Northern Ireland can be a global leader within the next decade. Cybersecurity and fintech are two areas where we have seen the emergence of significant capability and capacity with the potential to drive the economy forward,” Lyons concluded.
