Digital Hub now hosts 70 firms after year of growth

THE DIGITAL Hub attracted 18 new companies in 2011, bringing to 70 the total number of companies based at the Thomas Street centre, according to the Digital Hub Development Agency’s end-of-year report.

The Digital Hub was established in Dublin by the government in 2003 with the aim of creating a centre for digital and technology enterprises.

Some 800 people are employed by companies at the nine-acre site, which has a 95 per cent office occupancy rate.

According to Philip Flynn, chief executive of the Digital Hub Development Agency which manages the Digital Hub, 2011 saw a strong growth in digital media companies, with many established firms developing new products.

“Many of the products and services offered by Digital Hub companies weren’t even in existence five years ago,” he said. “We have seen huge growth in the past year in companies that develop apps for smartphones and tablet computers, for example.”

A number of companies based at the Digital Hub won overseas contracts during the year. This included Roamware, a mobile roaming company which won contracts with a mobile operator in Egypt, a major banking group in Nigeria, and mobile financial services companies in Kenya and Nigeria. Similarly, Kavaleer, Redwind Software and payByMobile, a company which provides online mobile services for Paddypower’s online business in the UK, also expanded their business operations in overseas markets.

The Digital Hub Development Agency, the State agency behind the hub, is due to be merged with the IDA or Enterprise Ireland next year under the Government’s public sector reform plans, though the merger is expected to have no impact on the operation of the Digital Hub.

Last year, the Digital Hub also ran a series of formal and informal education programmes. This included a course called “WebElevate”, a degree-accredited programme for jobseekers, which provided training in digital skills and work experience with digital media companies based at the Digital Hub.

Almost 200 people participated in the programme with 55 per cent finding employment within six months of completing the programme. More than 160 companies have been located at the Digital Hub since 2003, including PopCap, Gala Games, Havok, Houghton Miflin, Amazon and Daft.ie.