Galway Technology Centre, which provides office space for growing companies, is to expand in a move that it claims could lead to a sharp rise in jobs for the region.
The centre, which was established in 1994 as a social enterprise in the wake of the closure of Digital Equipment Corporation, is to embark on a 22,000sq ft (2,043sq m) expansion that will see the total floor area extend to 72,000sq ft (6,689sq m) and with the number of floors in the facility growing from two to four.
Owned by Galway Chamber and WestBIC, which supports companies operating in the Border, Midlands and West regions, the centre is also backed by Enterprise Ireland.
Over the past 25 years it has housed more than 300 different companies, who between them have created more than 3,000 jobs. It is home to 41 companies, with 326 people employed directly on site.
Among the organisations to have been based there are Electronic Arts, SAP and Wayfair.
The centre forecasts that expansion will lead to 828 new jobs and €62.4 million investment per annum by year five. The cumulative total over the next 15 years could reach as high as 12,500 roles and €1.4 billion in investment locally, it said.
"The AcademyWest expansion represents a significant new phase in the life of Galway Technology Centre. It will drive substantial employment growth, while expanding the technology cluster and knowledge economy throughout Galway and the west over the coming years," said Noreen Conway, acting manager of the centre.
“This enhanced modern facility will have a further transformative effect on the regional ICT ecosystem. It will help attract and retain dynamic high performance start-ups who wish to scale their enterprise and also act as a second site for growing, innovative companies,” she said.
