Dublin’s Digital Hub grows to 85 companies, employing 732 people

10 Jan 2018

Inside the Grainstore building at The Digital Hub in Dublin. Image: Connor McKenna

Nestled in the Liberties, The Digital Hub is a thriving ecosystem for local and global start-ups.

The Digital Hub in Dublin, which represents the largest cluster of digital start-ups in Dublin city, is well on its way to achieving its goal of 100 companies residing in its buildings, revealing that, at the start of 2018, there were about 85 companies employing 732 people.

In the past 12 months, 16 new companies moved into The Digital Hub, comprising a 75:25 split between indigenous and foreign direct investment (FDI) businesses.

‘We are putting a renewed focus into revitalising the cluster dynamic to ensure more companies can really reap the benefits from being part of a wider digital community’
– FIACH MAC CONGHAIL

According to the CEO of the Digital Hub Development Agency, Fiach Mac Conghail, The Digital Hub currently has just over 70,000 sq ft of usable office space located across nine buildings, including the newly built Grainstore, with a current occupancy rate of 90pc.

Start-ups in growth mode

The Digital Hub

Image: The Digital Hub

Many of the businesses located in The Digital Hub are in expansion and international growth mode.

Among some of the companies close to doubling their workforce since moving in to the campus is Artofus, developer of a software platform that enables cloud computer vision based on artificial intelligence; Bizimply, an Irish company that has developed an operations management platform, transforming the way hospitality and retail businesses manage and engage with their employees; and Juvo, an award-winning digital and website development agency.

Giraffe Games is among the new indigenous companies that moved to The Digital Hub in 2017. An interactive entertainment company, Giraffe Games is primarily known for very successful sports games for mobile phones and tablets. Since it was founded in 2013, the company has published sports games played by more than 80m people worldwide. The Wall Street-headquartered Wachsman PR agency, specialising in the financial and blockchain technology sector, also made The Digital Hub its home in 2017.

Other newcomers to the hub include: US firm Quantum, a manufacturing IT enterprise solution provider; Kubicle, a data-driven training specialist; animation production companies Gingerbread Animation and Mooshku; and the Audi Dublin International Film Festival, whose 2018 festival programme runs from 22 February to 4 March.

“2018 is set to see a continuation of demand from within our cluster to support scaling businesses,” Mac Conghail said.

“The Digital Hub remains strongly committed to supporting and providing our community of technology and digital media companies with the opportunities to learn from industry leaders and each other at regular seminars, workshops and meet-ups on our campus that we arrange throughout the year.”

Mac Conghail added: “We are also putting a renewed focus into revitalising the cluster dynamic to ensure more companies can really reap the benefits from being part of a wider digital community.”

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com