How WorkIQ is helping build Ireland’s next generation of technology companies from Tallaght

As the start-up ecosystem reaches its second anniversary Claire Mason looks at what makes it special

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Think Irish tech success stories (and recently we’ve had the huge Intercom/Fin buyout by Salesforce for €3.6 billion) and it’s easy to think of Dublin city centre or Silicon Valley start-up hubs. However, some of the most interesting growth stories are emerging from places that until now have sat outside of the spotlight.

This is the mission WorkIQ is on.

Based in Tallaght and operated by Oxford Innovation Space, Work IQ is proving that ambitious technology companies can be built anywhere.

More than office space

WorkIQ is the first Oxford Innovation Space centre in the Republic of Ireland. The company operates 33 innovation centres across the UK and Ireland and has been supporting entrepreneurship and economic development for decades. 

It operates a straightforward but effective model. 

“We’re about economic development through business support,” explains Eoghan Powell, WorkIQ’s Innovation Centre director. “A company comes in and our objective is to help them grow through their journey. The end goal is that they will outgrow us.”

With this in mind, there is no one size fits all approach to helping a company grow.

“The support goes far beyond office space,” says Powell. “Depending on the needs of each business, it can involve customer introductions, support for recruitment, investor connections, advice on how to expand internationally, or help on solving the many operational challenges that come with scaling a company.” 

Building a growing ecosystem

Now, just a few weeks before celebrating their second birthday, the numbers tell their own story.

Currently, WorkIQ is supporting 41 organisations that collectively employ 172 people.

These businesses span a broad spectrum. Some are venture-backed, others are bootstrapping and others are international firms establishing a presence in Ireland.

One of WorkIQ’s strongest growth stories is that of Fortivum.

Fortivum, which specialises in client-side services for data centres across Europe, was the third company to join Work IQ a little under two years ago.

As Powell recalls: “When Fortivum joined us, they asked for the smallest office in what at the time was mostly a large empty building. Fortivum themselves consisted of two people.”

Today, Fortivum takes up most of WorkIQ’s second floor. The business also employs more than 100 people and has expanded internationally with offices in London and Austin, Texas. Fortivum now delivers projects across Europe, Kenya and the United States.

“Fortivum is a clear example of what’s possible when a startup receives the help it needs as it needs it to grow,” says Powell.

Why Tallaght matters

The Tallaght location is no accident.

WorkIQ was developed through a €17 million investment by South Dublin County Council. The council had recognised a gap in the market for high quality office and innovation space for growing businesses in the area.

Rather than waiting for the private sector to address the issue, the council chose to invest directly in creating a long term asset for the region.

“The building is a 50 year project,” says Powell. “Part of the objective is bringing companies in today and helping them showcase themselves to customers, investors and potential employees. But it is also about demonstrating what is possible.”

Creating visible role models

WorkIQ tracks a number of metrics to measure and manage the impact they’re having.

However, at its heart the project is about changing perceptions.

Visibility matters because Ireland’s next generation of founders can come from Tallaght as much as they can come from any other part of the country.

“We didn’t grow up being told that building a billion euro technology company was a realistic option,” says Powell. “Today, there are examples all around us that show it can be done.”

He believes one of WorkIQ’s most important roles is making entrepreneurial success visible within the local community. When young people see businesses growing, hiring staff, opening international offices and winning customers around the world, it changes what feels possible.

Looking to the future

As WorkIQ’s second birthday comes into view, Powell is particularly focused on the businesses WorkIQ is supporting and the long-term impact these businesses will have on the wider region.

The model is deliberately designed to create a cycle of growth.

Companies enter the ecosystem at an early stage. They then receive the support they need to grow and eventually move into larger premises. Going through this lifecycle, they create jobs, attract talent and strengthen the local economy.

This in turn creates space for the next generation of founders to begin their own journeys.

The real measure of success WorkIQ is holding itself to is for one strong message to get out to future founders.

And that is you do not need to be in Silicon Valley, London or Dublin city centre to build something extraordinary.

Sometimes, all you need is a place to start.

Claire Mason is a thought leadership publicist who works with CEOs, founders and executives to translate their vision into globally recognised thought leadership.