A computer generated image of what the Galway Technology Centre will look like after completion. Image: Galway Technology Centre
Around 12,500 jobs are expected to be created over the next 15 years at the Galway site, along with a €1.4bn investment.
A ceremonial stone to mark the significant expansion of Galway Technology Centre has been laid down by Taoiseach Micheál Martin, TD, today (14 October).
First announced last April, the major expansion plans will see the social enterprise expand by 15,500 sq ft to reach an overall area of more than 65,000 sq ft.
Supported by Enterprise Ireland, the project is expected to facilitate the creation of 12,500 jobs over the next 15 years, along with an estimated total investment of €1.4bn.
Oliver Daniels, CEO of the Galway Technology Centre, said that the project represents more than just an extension. “It highlights how scaling enterprises in Galway and the west are flourishing and the increased demand for space to facilitate that growth,” he said at a ceremony marking the extension.
“Through this extension, Galway Technology Centre will be able to assist even more thriving companies, bringing more dynamic enterprises to our centre as well as further nurturing those who already call GTC home.”
Once completed, the centre will focus on helping start-ups scale their business and host ICT companies in need of second sites.
Adding two new floors to the two-storey building, the extension will include new meeting and conferencing spaces, state-of-the-art IT infrastructure and digital amenities such as a video production and broadcasting suite.
“Since its inception, Galway Technology Centre has played a central role in enabling the growth of scaling enterprises across the west of Ireland,” Martin said at the event.
“It has provided numerous start-ups and high-potential businesses with the space and support they needed in order to flourish and prosper. The centre has come a long way from its first opening in the mid-nineties, when there were eight units filled by seven start-up companies.”
Since its launch in 1994, the centre has housed more than 300 companies who have created in excess of 3,000 jobs. It is now home to 41 companies, with more than 325 people employed on site and thousands more in the other satellite offices located in Ireland and abroad.
Supported by the Government, the expansion received backing from Enterprise Ireland through its Regional Enterprise Development Fund.
“For almost 30 years, Galway Technology Centre has played an important role in supporting the scaling of technology enterprises in Galway and across the west region,” said Enterprise Ireland head of regions and local enterprise Carol Gibbbons.
“We look forward to seeing even more start-ups and scaling companies benefit from the top-class business environment provided by the centre for many years to come.”
10 things you need to know direct to your inbox every weekday. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic’s digest of essential sci-tech news.
