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- 190 investments secured in H1 2026, supporting more than 10,400 job approvals
- High-value investments across technology, life sciences, industrial engineering, and financial services underline Ireland’s sectoral depth
- Innovation and technology led investments highlight Ireland’s strengths in advanced research & development, enterprise AI and sovereign cloud, reinforcing the country’s position as a leading digital economy
- Continued focus on competitiveness, infrastructure, and other key enabling conditions will be critical to sustaining Ireland’s FDI performance
At mid-year 2026, IDA Ireland has secured 190 investments, with a commitment to create 10,410 jobs across the economy. This includes 54 first time investors, 39 expansions from existing companies, 57 RD&I investments, 31 talent development projects, and 9 green capital investments. Regional activity remains strong, with 98 regional projects representing 52% of total investments won in H1.
Investment activity points to a strong concentration of next-generation technology projects, with global companies choosing Ireland as a European growth platform, a base for regional headquarters activity, and a location to scale and support strategic EMEA operations. Many client announcements also focus on high-value job creation, skills development and capability building, reflecting Ireland’s talent base, technical competence, and long-term workforce strengths.
The first half of 2026 has seen significant high-value investment across technology, life sciences, engineering and financial services. Key announcements include Novo Nordisk’s €432m investment to expand manufacturing capacity in Athlone; Qualcomm’s €125m investment to further develop its Cork site as a strategic AI pillar within its global chipmaking organisation; and OpenText’s €105m investment which will result in 400 additional jobs across its Irish sites, focused on agentic AI and sovereign cloud capability in Europe. 2026 has also seen activity spanning financial services, fintech and digital payments with global investments from companies such as Currenxie, Monzo, CoinJar, and Quashio pointing to Ireland’s clear strength in fintech and digital finance.
Innovation in AI is a feature of many investments in H1 highlighting Ireland’s growing reputation in this area. In addition to investments by Qualcomm, MongoDB, and OpenText, a number of companies have selected Ireland for advanced technology development and innovation at scale. These include Klaviyo, the AI-first CRM built for B2C brands, which announced the opening of its engineering hub in Dublin; Anthropic, which is creating 200 jobs as part of its Dublin expansion; Medtronic, which announced the establishment of a European software development hub in Galway; and Rippling, which opened a new Dublin office to create 150 jobs to meet demand for AI-native workforce intelligence across EMEA.
Against a backdrop of intensifying global competition for mobile investment, IDA Ireland’s performance in 2025 and into 2026 demonstrates the continued strength, resilience and trust in Ireland’s FDI proposition. Sustaining this momentum will require continued focus across Government, industry, and stakeholders on the key enabling conditions that shape investment decisions, including critical infrastructure, competitive energy, housing, skills, innovation capacity, and a streamlined planning and regulatory environment.
Peter Burke, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment said, “Ireland’s continued success in attracting world-class investment is built on a strong and stable enterprise platform, one built over decades and which we do not take for granted. Under the stewardship of the IDA Board chaired by Feargal O’Rourke, CEO Michael Lohan and his team have delivered a very strong performance both in 2025, as outlined in the 2025 Annual Report, and in the first half of 2026, as they continue to promote Ireland internationally as a leading investment location. Government is committed to ensuring the right enabling conditions are in place to keep Ireland competitive, including investment in infrastructure, energy, housing, skills and innovation. These are essential to supporting companies already operating here, attracting new investors, and ensuring that FDI continues to deliver high-quality employment and regional opportunity across the country.”
Feargal O’Rourke, Chair of IDA Ireland said, “We are now 18 months into our “Adapt Intelligently” 5-year strategy and these very positive results, allied to last year’s record performance, signal that our plan is fit for purpose in what is an increasingly turbulent world. We have a clear strategic focus on supporting regional development, delivering sustainable investment and deepening the economic impact of FDI right around the country. That focus is being executed by our excellent CEO Michael Lohan, and I’d like to pay tribute to him, our board members and every single person in this exceptional organisation that has contributed to these results. The success of IDA plays an important part in underpinning our economy and our society and these results will be welcomed in all parts of the country.”
Michael Lohan, CEO of IDA Ireland said, “IDA Ireland’s 2025 results and the investment pipeline secured in the first half of 2026 demonstrate the continued strength of Ireland’s FDI proposition and the confidence global companies have in Ireland as a location to establish, scale and transform. The breadth of investment across technology, life sciences, engineering and financial services sectors, alongside strong regional performance and significant transformational undertakings, reflects the depth of Ireland’s talent, capability and enterprise ecosystem. Our focus remains on competing strongly for the next generation of investment and ensuring FDI continues to deliver impact across all regions for the Irish economy.”
