Tag: #Jobs

Saros announces 50 jobs €8M investment in global expansion

Saros Consulting, a global leader in IT consulting and strategic project management, today announces global expansion plans, which include the creation of 50 new jobs and a €8M investment. In addition to the new jobs, the investment covers a new HQ in Dublin and the establishment of a global delivery hub in Cape Town, South Africa.

Headquartered and founded in Dublin, Saros provides IT consulting services covering areas including digital transformation, cybersecurity and mergers and acquisitions. The company currently has a presence in the UK, Switzerland and the US.

Over a two-year period, the next wave of Saros’s expansion will see the company strengthen its presence in existing markets, while entering South Africa – supported by Enterprise Ireland – as a new market. The jobs – split across all of Saros’s key markets – and investment will accelerate the company’s growth in its core sectors of life sciences, financial services and retail, while enabling it to scale its global resourcing business.

As part of the investment, Saros has opened a new HQ in Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin, which is designed with collaboration spaces and break-out rooms to support the company’s expanding workforce. The Cape Town team will support Saros’s growth across Europe and Africa, providing fully remote solutions to businesses across both continents.

The new roles will be in the areas of project management, IT consulting and business development, supporting Saros’s mission to provide high-quality, scalable resourcing solutions to multinational clients.

Ray Armstrong, co-founder and CEO, Saros Consulting, said: “Today’s announcement marks a major milestone in our journey to becoming a truly global player. With this investment, we are not only creating new jobs in Ireland and South Africa, but also strengthening our ability to deliver flexible, remote-first services to enterprises across multiple regions. The investment represents our confidence in the future of distributed work and our commitment to building a truly borderless consulting practice.”

 Justin van der Spuy, co-founder and CEO, Saros Consulting, said: “South Africa offers a strong talent pool and a strategic gateway to global markets. The quality of technical talent emerging from South African universities, coupled with the country’s mature IT services sector, make it an ideal location for our first African hub.”

Workday To Invest €175M in Dublin AI Centre of Excellence, Adding 200 Jobs

Workday, Inc. the enterprise AI platform for managing people, money, and agents, today announced a three year €175 million investment and 200 specialised roles to establish its AI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Dublin.

The investment, supported by IDA Ireland, expands the role of Workday’s EMEA headquarters in the company’s product research and development globally.   Since 2008, Workday’s Dublin-based teams have driven impactful R&D, including AI-driven solutions like Workday Learning and Workday Assistant.

The AI Centre of Excellence will focus on four key areas:

 

  • Product Development: Over 200 roles will be added in Dublin, helping to ensure  regional AI, cybersecurity, engineering and research expertise is reflected in Workday Illuminate, the company’s AI platform. Workday currently employs 2,200 people here, of which approximately 80% work in product research and development.

 

  • AI Upskilling: Workday has partnered with Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet to upskill 300 current employees through its AI Business Academy. In addition, through partnership with TU Dublin, over 285 employees have already graduated with certifications in AI relevant themes including Machine Learning, Cybersecurity, Entrepreneurial Leadership, Leadership and Team Enablement and Creating Successful Products.

 

  • AI Academic Fellowships & Partnerships: Workday’s Industry Fellowships, in collaboration with universities such as Trinity College Dublin and Dublin City University (DCU) and Research Ireland will directly embed post-doctoral researchers within R&D teams in the company. This allows top-tier academic talent to apply their expertise to real-world AI and machine learning challenges.

 

  • Partnership With Irish Tech Scale-Ups: Through the Workday Innovation Network – created with Enterprise Ireland – the organisation will collaborate with Irish AI start-ups, SMEs and industry leaders such as Wrksense and Workhuman to drive innovation.

Welcoming the investment, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke T.D. said: “Since Workday acquired Irish tech innovator Cape Clear in 2008, it has evolved into a research and development powerhouse, based on a blend of talented people, technology and innovation which Ireland can uniquely provide. Workday’s decision to expand its AI footprint in Dublin is a testament to Ireland’s reputation as a global leader in technology and innovation. We are very pleased to support this investment and partner with Workday to maximise its new AI Centre of Excellence.”

“Dublin has been a cornerstone of Workday’s innovation for close to two decades,” said Graham Abell, Vice President, Software Engineering & Ireland Site Lead, Workday. “This latest investment will power our next chapter—pioneering the next generation of ERP, built for the AI era.”

“Workday’s decision to expand its AI footprint in Dublin is a testament to Ireland’s reputation as a global leader in technology and innovation. This investment of €175 million and 200 jobs over the next 3 years will further strengthen Ireland’s position at the forefront of AI research and development. I would like to wish Workday every success for this AI Centre of Excellence and I look forward to our continued partnership,’’ said Michael Lohan, CEO, IDA Ireland.

To support its continued growth in Europe, Workday will open a new, state-of-the-art EMEA headquarters at College Square, Dublin 2. The headquarters will include a new Customer Experience Centre (CXC) – an immersive space for European customers to collaborate alongside Workday product experts and senior leaders. Current career opportunities can be viewed at Workday’s online careers centre here.

LinkedIn Data Shows 1 in 10 Jobs Allow Staff To Work From Home

Ireland continues to lead the way for flexible working according to new LinkedIn data published today, which saw the country ranked first for the availability of remote roles, with 9.1% of job postings on the platform in August. Ireland also ranked second in Europe for hybrid jobs, with 37% of jobs postings on LinkedIn categorised as hybrid working, closely behind the United Kingdom (39.3% share of all job postings.) Remote roles also remain some of the most competitive jobs on LinkedIn, making up 15.4% of job applications in EMEA, with Ireland seeing even greater level of demand at 20.1%.
Women faced with a ‘double edged sword’ as a result of flexible work
While flexible working has brought about many benefits for professionals in terms of work life balance, a new research paper published by LinkedIn has revealed that it also presents a double edged sword for women. LinkedIn international data shows that men consistently advance faster than women, with 10% of men promoted within 65 months, compared to 74 months for women.
The research revealed that this gap varies depending on flexible working, with on-site roles offering the fastest route for a promotion. Flexible arrangements reduce this gap, but only because progression slows for both men and women. On site roles saw 10% of men promoted within 64 months, with 10% of women achieving this within 68 months. Hybrid roles, however, saw delayed promotional opportunities, with men and women being promoted within 70 months and 72 months respectively. So while flexible work roles lead to greater parity between genders, staff based on site are promoted faster at the expense of slower progression for women.
Demand for AI talent continues to soar
LinkedIn’s data continues to highlight soaring demand for AI talent. AI engineering roles now represent nearly 7% of all technical job postings on LinkedIn – a 63% year-over-year increase. Demand is not limited to technical roles – knowing how to work with AI agents is the fastest-growing skill in 2025, and AI literacy capabilities such as prompt engineering have surged more than 70% in postings across fields like marketing and design.
Commenting on the latest data, LinkedIn Ireland Country Manager Cara O’Leary said: “Our data has consistently shown that Ireland continues to lead the way for remote and hybrid work opportunities, demonstrating how flexibility has become firmly established as a defining feature of our jobs market. Professionals are clearly embracing the benefits of choice in how and where they work, with Ireland seeing even stronger demand for remote roles than our European peers. This shows just how fundamental flexible working has become to attracting and retaining top talent, as employers continue to adapt to shifting expectations.”
“At the same time, our research highlights that flexible working is not without its challenges – particularly for women, who continue to face slower progression in the workplace. While hybrid arrangements help to narrow the gender promotion gap, they do so largely by slowing advancement for everyone. These findings underline the importance of companies being intentional about how they support career development in flexible environments, while also preparing for the next wave of change as AI reshapes roles and skills across industries.”

PayPal to Create 100 Highly Skilled Tech Jobs in Ireland

PayPal today announced that it will create 100 new highly skilled data science roles at its Dublin office. This expansion reflects the company’s commitment to investing in the future of commerce through advanced data science and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and marks a new chapter in the transformation of its Irish operations. The new AI team in Dublin will serve as a key spoke in PayPal’s global network, working in close coordination with PayPal’s other innovation hubs.

This hiring initiative is being supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland, the country’s investment promotion and development agency, and comes as PayPal continues to evolve its Dublin site beyond its roots as a customer service hub into a centre for innovation at the forefront of the global digital economy.

“As we shape the next generation of digital payments, the talent and innovation coming from Ireland will play a critical role,” said Aaron J. Webster, Global Chief Risk Officer at PayPal. “This expansion reflects both our confidence in the local ecosystem and our ambition to build an AI-driven, data-powered future that embeds trust and safety in every transaction. We are proud to deepen our commitment to Ireland and to invest in highly skilled roles that will help shape the future of PayPal globally.”

The new roles will span a range of disciplines, including AI engineering, data science, software development, risk modeling, and cybersecurity. These positions will support key strategic priorities such as loss prevention and enhancing outstanding customer experiences, placing innovation at the core of PayPal’s global mission.

Webster added: “Our work to solve some of the most intricate and critical commerce challenges globally is fueled by the unprecedented scale of our platform and unmatched data at our fingertips. We are redefining what is possible by empowering data scientists to push boundaries, harness cutting-edge AI, and transform the future of fraud detection and payment security.”

Peter Burke, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, said: “This announcement by PayPal is a strong vote of confidence in Ireland as a location for high-value tech investment. The creation of 100 highly skilled roles in cutting-edge fields like AI and data science reinforces our status as a global hub for innovation, and I would like to commend PayPal for its ongoing partnership with IDA Ireland.”

Michael Lohan, CEO of IDA Ireland, said: ‘’I am delighted with PayPal’s decision to create up to 100 new highly skilled tech jobs in Ireland. This is a testament to Ireland’s enduring appeal as a location for high-value investments. We are proud to support this growth and look forward to the continued success of PayPal in Ireland.’’

Open positions can be found here.

Hollister Ballina transforms into ‘epicentre of global expertise’ with €80m investment

Hollister Incorporated, a global leader in ostomy, continence, wound care and critical care products has announced an €80m R&D investment and a digital transformation project that will create approximately 50 new jobs in Ballina.

The multimillion-euro investment aims to elevate Ballina into a global epicentre of expertise through novel device design and extensive site-wide training, setting a benchmark for digital transformation within Hollister’s global network.

This project is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.

Minister for Social Protection and Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht  Dara Calleary TD said: “This is a terrific day for Ballina and North Mayo with the announcement of 50 additional jobs for the region. Hollister is more than just a manufacturing plant in Ballina; it is one of the mainstays of our community. Today, second and third generations of families are employed there boosting the local economy and contributing to the everyday life of the town. I want to pay credit to Shane Caher and all of the staff in Hollister who have dedicated themselves to Ballina and to the West of Ireland but also to all of the past Hollister management and staff who’s work, and commitment is the foundation of the plant’s success today. Finally, I would like to acknowledge  IDA  Ireland for their continued support to Hollister and across Mayo. I very much look forward to what the next 50 years will bring for Hollister and Ballina”

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Alan Dillon TD, said: “This €80 million investment by Hollister Inc. is very welcome news. It is a powerful endorsement of Ballina’s skilled workforce and Ireland’s reputation as a hub for innovation in healthcare manufacturing. To see a long-standing employer, like Hollister, continue to grow and evolve through cutting-edge research and digital transformation is very encouraging. The creation of 50 new high-quality jobs will also bring economic and social benefits to the region. On behalf of the Irish Government, I thank Hollister for its continued commitment to Ballina and the West of Ireland, and I wish the team there the very best for the future and many more years of success here in Co. Mayo.”

Founded in 1921 in Illinois, the US MedTech manufacturer has been part of the fabric of Ballina since 1976, where it now employs almost 1000 people.

Hollister is currently recruiting in the areas of Engineering, Data Science and Business Services.  To explore opportunities, visit Career Opportunities | Hollister IE

“We are thrilled to announce this significant milestone for Hollister Incorporated. Our commitment to innovation and excellence continues to drive us forward, and this investment in our research program and digital transformation project is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team,” said Shane Caher, Senior Director of Plant Operations and General Manager. “We look forward to the exciting opportunities that lie ahead as we continue to deliver on Our Mission to make life more rewarding and dignified for those who use our products and services.”

IDA Ireland CEO Michael Lohan said: “Since 1976, Hollister has been creating jobs and investment in Co. Mayo.  In the intervening near 50 years, Hollister has again and again committed to and delivered on its ambitions for its Irish operations.  Supporting Hollister and companies across IDA Ireland’s client portfolio with R&D investment and digital transformation endeavours sits right at the heart of Adapt Intelligently: A Strategy for Sustainable Growth and Innovation 2025-29.  I wish to congratulate Hollister and assure them of IDA Ireland’s continued support.”

Fenergo creates 300 new jobs in Ireland with €100 million investment

Leading Irish Software as a Service (SaaS) financial technology solutions provider Fenergo, has today announced 300 new jobs at its global HQ in Dublin. This is part of a €100 million Research, Development & Innovation (RD&I) expansion plan supported by Enterprise Ireland. In addition to the new roles in Ireland, which will double the domestic headcount, Fenergo is creating new jobs across its international markets to meet increasing demand for its AI-powered solutions. A total of 500 new positions will be filled by the company globally within the next three years.  

With support from Enterprise Ireland, Fenergo has also invested in a new RD&I Centre of Excellence at its Dublin HQ where the new Irish roles will be based, supporting Fenergo’s innovation strategy. The new roles will enable Fenergo to further deliver on its mission to support financial institutions in fighting financial crime and creating a safer world. Fenergo will continue to build out its intelligent, AI-powered solutions for client lifecycle management (CLM), anti-money laundering (AML) and Know your Customer (KYC). This suite of solutions forms Fenergo’s FinCrime Operating System, which addresses all anti-financial crime events and operations, transforming compliance from a burden into a strategic competitive advantage. 

Recruitment for the new roles is now underway, with candidates being sought for a wide range of mid-level engineering and R&D positions. Fenergo is also rolling out a graduate programme with the intention to appoint up to 30 university graduates. Interested candidates can find more information about the new jobs and submit applications via: Let’s Grow Together | Fenergo. 

Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke TD welcomed the jobs announcement: “The government and Enterprise Ireland are committed to supporting and accelerating the scaling of ambitious, innovation-led Irish companies. Fenergo is a clear example of ambition in action – a company that has expanded at pace since it first launched in 2009, and one which today represents a standout financial technology solutions provider both globally and domestically. Today’s announcement not only represents significant job creation within the Irish market and excellent opportunities for our homegrown talent, but it also reinforces our position as one of the largest and most important tech hubs in Europe. I would like to commend Fenergo on this milestone expansion and their continued investment in Ireland, which I’m confident will underpin further growth for the company while supporting our economy.”  

Marc Murphy, CEO and Founder of Fenergo, said: “I am delighted to announce Fenergo’s significant expansion in Ireland with the creation of 300 jobs at our new RD&I Centre of Excellence, which was made possible with the considerable support and investment we have received from Enterprise Ireland. This investment and growth of our Irish operations reflect our confidence in the excellent talent pool we have in this country, and a market where innovative thinking, entrepreneurship and evolving technology will propel Fenergo to new heights. With AI at the core of our RD&I strategy, we are committed to delivering future-proof solutions for financial institutions in Ireland, across Europe, the UK, America, Middle-East and Asia – supporting them during times of intensifying geopolitical tension and regulatory uncertainty.  

“We are actively recruiting for the new roles already, and I would strongly encourage prospective candidates to consider applying and join our world-class team of change-makers at Fenergo – shaping the future of financial services operations through innovation and AI.” 

Kevin Sherry, Interim CEO, Enterprise Ireland said, “Ambitious companies like Fenergo embody Enterprise Ireland’s mission that Irish owned, globally focused companies will be the primary driver of our economy. Fenergo, announcing 500 new jobs today, is a great example of an innovative Irish company growing customers, adding RD&I to drive forward AI powered solutions and creating an impact in global markets. I’d like to congratulate Marc and the team on this expansion and we look forward to working with them.” 

Due to the continued strength of Fenergo’s export activity, along with a growing portfolio of financial services clients in the Irish market over the past two years, Fenergo delivered a substantial profit in FY25 and is tracking well to deliver strong EBITDA profitability in this financial year, FY26.  Fenergo’s investment in its Irish and international expansion is expected to further bolster its ability to serve international markets while also growing its domestic business. 97% of Fenergo’s revenue in the year ending March 2025 was generated from exported business. 

Enterprise Ireland Export Results 

This expansion announcement was made in conjunction with Enterprise Ireland’s client company export results for 2024. Enterprise Ireland today announced that its clients have achieved record exports of €36.75bn in 2024, up 7% on 2023, with all territories and major sectors recording increases, surpassing the 2022 – 2024 strategy target of €30bn exports.  

Exports to Europe, grew by 8% to €10.63bn representing 29% of total exports. This is the first time that exports to this region have surpassed the UK, making Europe now the largest export territory for Enterprise Ireland’s client base. 

·       Within Europe, the Eurozone, which represents 26% of total exports, continued to perform. Exports increased by 9.6% to €9.42bn in 2024 with growth across the majority of countries, including Germany, the Netherlands and France. 

·       The UK, now the second largest export territory for clients achieved €10.52bn exports in 2024, up 4% on 2023 and surpassing the €10bn mark for the first time.  

·       North America also delivered growth, with exports of €7.30bn in 2024, up 8% on 2023. USA, the main export market had exports of €6.66bn, up 8% on 2023. 

 

All sectors showed strong export growth. The Food and Sustainability sector reached €16.25bn, up 5% on 2023. Non-food exports surpassed this, achieving €20.5bn, up 8%, with the Industrial and Lifesciences sector recording €11.46bn exports, up 9%. Of this, High Tech Construction exports increased by 20% to €4.66bn. 

The Technology and Services sector also grew, with exports of €9.05bn achieved in 2024, up 7% on 2023. Of this, Digital Tech exports reached €3.16bn in 2024, up 9% on 2023. Fintech, Financial & Business Services also saw an increase, up 5% to €2.90bn in 2024.  

Enterprise Ireland client companies spent €42.65bn in the Irish economy in 2024, including €13bn on payroll.  

 

Welcoming Enterprise Ireland’s export results, Minister Burke said: “The strength of Ireland’s exporting base of companies is reflected in Enterprise Ireland’s strong 2024 export performance results. Despite a more challenging international environment, Irish exporters have made significant gains and continue to grow their influence internationally. These companies are a critical part of the Irish economy, and the government through Enterprise Ireland is committed to supporting this sector to scale further, while preparing for and mitigating against disruption in global trade tariffs.” 

 

Announcing Enterprise Ireland’s export results today, Kevin Sherry Interim CEO of Enterprise Ireland said: “Despite ongoing challenges in recent years, such as economic headwinds and rising costs our client companies continue to show their agility and resilience as they scale internationally, achieving yet another year of record export growth with €36.75bn in exports in 2024. This robust performance by clients like Fenergo, reflects a strong and resilient exporting base which fuels our economy, delivering sustainable prosperity nationwide.” 

 

“Our results show that for the first time Europe has surpassed the UK as the number one export territory. This demonstrates that while our client base continues to grow exports in the UK, there is less reliance and dependency on this one market with many clients broadening their base and winning business in other markets. Amid future geopolitical instability, Irish businesses proven ability to diversify across markets will stand to them when facing challenging and uncertain times. Enterprise Ireland remains committed to supporting companies as they explore potential mitigation and market diversifications strategies to navigate the challenges of export tariffs.” added Kevin Sherry.

IDA Ireland welcomes expansion of IBM’s software developer presence in Waterford

The Irish Government and IDA Ireland today welcomed IBM’s announcement to create additional high-value jobs in the south-east of the country. The leading global technology company will, over the next three years, hire up to 75 software engineers, dedicated to research and development (R&D), based in Waterford.

The roles will focus on cutting-edge innovation for IBM Z, the infrastructure powering 70% of global transactions by value*. The Waterford software engineers will closely collaborate with IBM’s R&D teams around the world, from designing processors and firmware to software development and advancing the Linux operating system.

Peter Burke TD, Minister for Enterprise Tourism & Employment, said: “IBM’s decision to expand its operations in Waterford with the creation of up to 75 highly-skilled software engineering roles is very welcome news. This investment is a strong endorsement of the South-East region’s growing reputation as a hub for innovation and advanced technology. It also reflects the government’s commitment to supporting regional development and fostering strong partnerships between industry and academia. I commend IBM for its continued confidence in Ireland and for its collaboration with the South-East Technological University to build a future-ready workforce.”

Jack Chambers TD, Minister for Public Expenditure & Reform, said: “I welcome this very positive development which underscores Ireland’s attractiveness as a location for businesses to invest in and to expand R&D operations. This strengthens IBM’s long-standing presence in Ireland where it employs thousands of people today. IBM has cited Ireland’s strong talent pool as a key factor in allowing the company to grow here, which reflects the significant increased investment by the Government in education, and particularly our third-level sector, over recent years. We are committed to supporting research and development in our tech sector, including in the South-East of our country, to drive balanced, regional development and economic growth.”

In addition to the expansion of R&D functions in Waterford, IDA Ireland also welcomes IBM’s decision to deepen its collaboration with the South East Technological University, to develop a technical skills ecosystem with a focus on mainframes and Linux.

Nathan Cullen, country general manager, IBM Ireland, said:

“I am delighted to see our footprint in Ireland evolve further. This is testimony to the deep talent pools available across the country, upon which we have steadily built our business, including mainframes which are a cornerstone of global transactions. IBM has now operated in Ireland for nearly 70 years and this milestone investment for the region also speaks volumes about the ecosystem that has built up around the South Eastern Technical University.”

IBM last year announced the recruitment of another 800 high-tech jobs in Ireland by 2027, cementing the country’s position as a globally strategic location for the company. These new roles, spanning R&D, digital sales and Consulting operations, will be spread across Dublin, Cork and Waterford.

Michael Lohan, IDA Ireland CEO, said: “This R&D investment announced by IBM is fantastic news for Waterford and indeed the South East Region. This investment is also closely aligned to Adapt Intelligently: A Strategy for Sustainable Growth and Innovation, 2025-29, where IDA has committed to positioning Ireland at the centre of cutting-edge global technological innovation in the next five years. I warmly welcome this decision by IBM and assure them of IDA’s continued partnership.”

UX Firm Each&Other Creates 10 New Jobs in UK Expansion and will Invest €500k in its Team to Support the Expansion of Fractional UX and Service Capabilities

Each&Other, one of Ireland’s leading independent digital consultancies, is creating 10 new jobs in the UK and Dublin as it continues to scale the company.  The company is investing €500k in its team to support the expansion and enhance its fractional UX and service design capabilities.

UK industry veteran, Ben Logan has been appointed as UK Strategy & Growth Lead.  Ben was founder and former MD of Spotless, a London-based UX Research and Service Design agency and brings over 20 years of leadership experience to Each&Other.

The new jobs, due to be created by the end of 2026, will be in the areas of UX designers, graphic designers and content strategists serving International clients and will bring the total number of employees at Each&Other to 35.

Each&Other delivers award-winning digital experiences using a customer-centred approach to product development.  The company helps clients to grow their business, increase customer satisfaction and ship great products.  Creativity, people and partnerships are intrinsic to the company.  With their combined strengths and diverse expertise, Each&Other is committed to making a difference to each client’s unique requirements.

“2025 represents a huge milestone in Each&Other’s history,” explains Brian Herron, Director at Each&Other.  “We have grown rapidly since our founding, and we continue to scale the company at a fast pace.  Each&Other is a dynamic, ambitious and innovation-led company at the cutting edge of its industry.  We are delighted to welcome Ben to help us grow in the UK, enter new markets and continue to deliver world-class strategy, research and design for our clients.  This is an exciting time for the company and it’s a great opportunity for talented people to join our growing team.”

Each&Other’s clients span technology, finance, government, telecoms, retail and education companies.

About Each&Other

Each&Other is an Irish strategic UX design firm delivering digital customer experiences that help organisations grow and deliver great digital products to their customers.  Creativity, people and partnerships are intrinsic to Each&Other.  With their combined strengths and diverse expertise, the company is committed to making a difference to each client’s unique requirements.

Established in 2014, Each&Other is based in Dublin, employs 25 people and delivers research and digital design projects throughout EU, Middle East and USA.

Kayna announces plans to create 13 new high-skilled jobs over the next two years,

Kayna, the Cork-based InsurTech founded by local entrepreneurs Paul Prendergast and Peter Bermingham, welcomed the Minister of State with responsibility for Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance, Mr. Robert Troy T.D., to its headquarters on Friday last for a high-level meeting focused on innovation, international growth, and the role of government support in Ireland’s thriving tech sector.

The Minister’s visit comes as Kayna announced plans to create 13 new high-skilled jobs over the next two years, as the company accelerates its expansion into the US and UK insurance markets. Kayna’s platform aims to simplify and embed insurance at the point of need, targeting underserved SME sectors such as construction, hospitality, and legal services. The model addresses a critical market gap: 40pc of small businesses in the US alone currently have no insurance, while a majority of the rest are underinsured.

Paul Prendergast, chief executive and co-founder, Kayna, spoke of the company’s future plans,

“The opportunity is huge. Embedded insurance is forecast to account for 15pc of the global insurance market, worth $1.5 trillion, within a decade. Kayna’s goal is to lead from the front, and to do so from Cork.”

Minister Troy met with Kayna CEO Paul Prendergast to hear directly about the company’s scaling plans and the wider policy considerations that can support home-grown InsurTech success stories like Kayna.

Speaking at the meeting, Robert Troy TD, Minister of State for Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance, said: “Kayna is a real success story, and represents the growing environment for InsurTech innovation in Ireland. I congratulate them on their plans to hire new staff and expand further into more markets. As Minister of State with Responsibility for Financial Services, Credit Unions, and Insurance I am committed to ensuring that Ireland remains a globally competitive and supportive environment for financial services, including InsurTech. A well-functioning insurance market is vital for any economy, and the work that Kayna is doing to support businesses navigate the sector is the sort of innovation I want to continue to foster in Ireland.”

Kayna, founded in 2021 is the third start up from its co-founders, whose previous ventures in the sector have achieved international scale. Backed by €1 million in funding and a partnership with multinational broker Willis Towers Watson (NASDAQ: WTW), Kayna is delivering embedded insurance solutions that allow small businesses to access tailored coverage directly through the software platforms they use daily.

Kayna has announced plans to begin hiring software engineers and business development specialists to support its growth plans.

The team will remain rooted in Cork, a city Mr. Prendergast describes as “central” to their entrepreneurial journey,

“We’ve always believed in building from Cork. Over the years, we’ve launched and scaled three insurtech companies here with invaluable support from Enterprise Ireland. That backing combined with strong government policy has never been more important. If Ireland is to remain a tech hub of global relevance, we must continue to invest in the ecosystem that enables founders to take bold ideas to market quickly and effectively.”

Enterprise Ireland, which has supported Kayna since its inception, was also represented at today’s meeting.

Anna-Marie Turley, Department Manager for Fintech and Financial Services, Enterprise Ireland, said: “Enterprise Ireland is committed to supporting Irish-owned businesses to start, compete, scale and connect, and this includes innovative companies like Kayna, who are providing cutting-edge solutions to global challenges. It is our long-term ambition that exporting Irish companies become the primary driver of the Irish economy, and we are proud to work with Paul and Peter as they scale their third business, having already secured a major partnership with WTW for the UK and US markets.  We would like to congratulate them on this milestone, and wish them every success on their business journey.”