Key industry sectors

Dublin’s economy is diverse and globally connected, making it a perfect location for companies at every stage of growth, from startups to established multinationals. Its highly supportive, business-friendly environment is designed to help enterprises scale with confidence.

While Dublin welcomes businesses across all industries, several sectors consistently attract the highest levels of foreign direct investment (FDI). These include:

Companies operating in these priority sectors benefit from tailored supports, including access to a skilled talent pool, specialised service providers, collaborative networks, and purpose-built infrastructure.

Startups continually succeed and grow with an ecosystem of accelerators, mentors, and R&D centres, while multinationals can use the efficient supply chains, global connectivity, and Dublin’s reputation as a trusted European base.

How does the future look for these key industries?

Economic expansion in Ireland remains strong, driven in large part by sustained investment from international companies, and Dublin sits at the heart of this continued growth. The city was recently ranked first for Economic Potential in fDi Intelligence’s Major European Cities of the Future 2025, rising from second place the year prior. It also ranked third for Business Friendliness, seventh for FDI Strategy, and second overall.

These rankings continue to affirm Dublin’s standing as one of the most attractive and forward-looking investment destinations in Europe.

If your business operates in one of Dublin’s six key sectors, explore the resources below to discover the advantages and success stories tied to your industry

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Tech: Why companies invest in Dublin

Dublin is most definitely a tech hub. And its reputation is well-deserved since efforts have been made to attract leading tech companies for decades. Way back in November 1956, IBM was the first American tech company to set up an Irish subsidiary in Dublin. (It still has a large presence here today.) The following year, Swedish multinational Ericsson invested in facilities here too. Then, in the decades that followed, big names like Hewlett Packard, Dell, Microsoft and SAP followed suit. Today, the industry employs over 37,000 people throughout Ireland and generates €3

brick and glass skycrpaer buildings in the irish financial services centre in dublin's docklands

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Financial services in Dublin

Dublin has firmly established itself as a global centre for financial services, particularly in fund administration, aircraft leasing, insurance, and wholesale banking. A growing number of leading financial institutions have chosen to base key operations in Dublin, drawn by Ireland’s strong regulatory framework, deep talent pool, and consistently pro-business environment. Ireland is now ranked 6th globally and 4th in the EU for financial services exports, with 22 of the world’s top 25 financial services firms, 21 of the top 25 banks, and eight of the top 10 global insurers

image of waterfront and trees at dublin's business services district

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Professional services

As international investment in Dublin continues to expand, the appetite for high-quality professional services is also increasing. Since the early 1990s, Dublin has seen sustained growth in demand for professional and functional support services, driven by multinational companies centralising their operations in the city. This has established Dublin as a hub for key sectors such as legal services, accounting, R&D, marketing, real estate, and management consulting. Today, Dublin is a centre of exc

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Life sciences

Ireland is firmly established as a global leader in life sciences and pharmaceuticals and is currently the third-largest exporter of pharmaceuticals in the world, with annual exports exceeding €116 billion. The sector is also a major employer, with 45,000 people working in IDA client companies across life sciences. Ireland’s

fedex transport plane on runway

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Transport and logistics

As an export-driven economy on the periphery of Europe, transport and logistics is a significant sector in Dublin. It is hugely important for the increasing number of global players that base their European and EMEA headquarters in the city too. Exceptional connectivity with Europe, the UK and the US is one of many considerations which drive foreign investment in Dublin. Over the coming decade, as the e

the sand coloured building of the national library of ireland which is a leader in the arts and recreation sector

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Arts and recreation

While Dublin’s art and recreation sector doesn’t draw much FDI itself, it is a key aspect of what makes the city so appealing to investors. Dublin has long been famed for its rich culture, vibrant arts scene and never-ending choice of enjoyable events. From world-class museums and galleries, through to original