In continuation of our series exploring tech hubs around the world, we take a look at what the Dublin tech scene has to offer

When you picture Dublin, what comes to mind? Do you imagine cobbled streets, lively traditional music, friendly locals, and pints of Guinness?

That’s the stereotypical image that we usually see in the press. But the reality is just a little bit different. Away from the tourist sites and attractions, Dublin is a thriving tech metropolis with a unique culture that can rival any other big city in Europe (yes, even London!).

In fact, the city is the EMEA HQ for nine out of 10 of the world’s biggest tech companies such as Google, Facebook, and LinkedIn. It is also home to some of the biggest Irish tech exports in recent years such as Stripe and Evervault.

So, what makes the city so appealing? Well, it’s definitely not the weather but there are a few reasons why Ireland’s capital is booming.

Top of the list has to be Dublin’s business-friendly tax system which attracts large multinationals such as Twitter and Amazon. Next, you have the highly educated workforce that calls this city home. In fact, three in five people in Ireland have a third-level education according to the Central Statistics Office.

Finally, you have an impressive array of accelerator and incubator programmes such as Enterprise Ireland Competitive Start Fund, NDRC, and Dublin Business Innovation Centre.

When you combine all these factors with easy access to Europe, a thriving cultural scene, and amazing job opportunities, it’s no wonder that tech talent is still flocking to the Irish capital in their droves.

Here’s everything that you need to know.

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing continues to grow at a rapid pace and Dublin is quickly emerging as a key global player thanks to the establishment of the Irish Centre for Cloud Computing and Commerce (IC4).

Founded back in 2011, IC4 is a multi-institutional research centre based in Dublin City University (DCU). The organisation is tasked with making Ireland a centre of excellence for innovation and research with representatives hailing from Intel, IBM, and Microsoft. The cloud computing sector is also helped by the fact that several Dublin-based universities now offer masters degrees in the discipline. International players based in Ireland include Dropbox, Salesforce, and Zendesk.

File hosting company Dropbox opened its Dublin office back in 2013. Since then, the company has adopted a virtual-first approach for all employees. While attending the office is not mandatory, staff can drop in to the Dublin ‘studio’ when they want to collaborate and share ideas. Sounds pretty nice, right? You can check out its open roles here.

Fintech

Dublin is quickly becoming synonymous with Fintech. The success of Irish-led companies such as Stripe (which is valued at $95 billion), has paved the way for other exciting startups, including Strikepay and Trustap.

This boom is thanks to an influx of Fintech investment in recent years. According to a report by KPMG, the fintech sector in Ireland secured $900 million of investment and equity transactions in the first half of 2021.

One very important employer in this sector is PayPal. The payments giant has two Irish offices: one in Dundalk, and the other in Blanchardstown in West Dublin. It is currently hiring for a number of different roles including customer success managers, account executives, and engineers. You can find out more on the Information Age Job Board.

Cleantech

Ireland is known for having 50 shades of green, but the country also has a thriving green economy. This sector is growing for a number of reasons which include supportive government policies, financial incentives, and an abundance of natural resources such as wind and waves.

Thanks to its Atlantic Coast, Ireland has the highest wave energy resource in Europe (estimated at 60GW). As a result, the country is home to some impressive sustainable energy companies such as OceanEnergy. However, the East coast still has plenty to offer.

Dublin is home to Covanta’s waste to energy facility that processes waste that cannot be reused or recycled while protecting the environment in the process. Each year, the company’s facilities reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing four million cars from the road. You can find out more about open roles at Covanta here.

Silicon Docks

We can’t talk about the tech scene in Dublin without mentioning the Silicon Docks (or Grand Canal Dock, as it is officially known). Of course, the nickname is an homage to Silicon Valley in California. Like its American counterpart, Silicon Dock is a previously industrial area along the Grand Canal, in the south side of the city centre.

Google was the first huge company to make the move to this area back in 2004. Its impressive location on the water, plus its close proximity to the city centre made it the perfect place to set up a campus. However, the area didn’t become the huge success it is today until after the economic recession.

Today, there are over 40,000 office workers in and around the area, which makes this part of Dublin a particularly good place to grab lunch, go for after work drinks, or simply sit and people-watch. It’s got everything you could want from striking architecture to wonderful restaurants.

Are you ready to make the move to the Emerald Isle? You can find lots of great job opportunities on the Information Age job board today.

Pippa Hardy is a content creator and writer for Amply by Jobbio. She’s a work-from-home enthusiast who loves all things travel and tech. When she’s not writing up her next article, she’s usually hiking or spending a whole afternoon on Pinterest.

Related:

A guide to working in the Toronto tech scene — Exploring what the tech scene in Toronto, Canada has to offer.

A guide to working in the Budapest tech scene — Taking a look at what’s driving innovation in Budapest, Hungary.