An EMEA go-to-market expansion hub in Cork is a ‘strong endorsement of the South West’, said IDA CEO Michael Lohan.
Finnish cloud infrastructure provider Aiven is opening a new Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) go-to-market expansion hub in Cork City. The expansion hub is set to create 40 jobs – primarily in sales – over the course of the next three years.
The expansion hub will create a new ‘inside sales organisation’ with supporting engineering and operational functions, the company said, and will strengthen Cork’s position as a thriving hub for tech and commerce.
Founded in Helsinki in 2016, Aiven operates in the managed open-source data infrastructure sector. It delivers fully managed services for widely used open-source technologies and employs more than 400 people across the globe. The new Cork hub is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.
“Aiven’s decision to establish its EMEA go-to-market hub in Cork is a strong endorsement of Ireland’s reputation as a leading destination for global technology investment,” said Minister for Enterprise Tourism and Employment Peter Burke, TD.
“The creation of 40 high-quality jobs over the next three years will provide exciting opportunities for skilled professionals in the region and further strengthen Cork’s position as a centre of innovation and commercial excellence. I welcome Aiven’s continued commitment to Ireland and look forward to seeing the positive impact of this expansion.”
In 2021, the company hit a $2bn unicorn valuation following the extension of its Series C funding round. It added another $1bn to its valuation in the nine months following, after a Series D cash injection. In early 2023, the European cloud leader laid off about 20pc of its staff.
“2025 has already been a milestone year for Aiven as we’ve crossed the $100M ARR (annual recurring revenue) mark,” said Conor Forde, the senior vice president at Aiven.
“To support our next phase of growth, we’ve rethought how we scale our go to market efforts, and this expansion is the next step forward.
“Cork stood out as the clear choice for Aiven’s expansion due to its exceptional availability of high-skilled talent and its vibrant, open, and diverse labour market, which are essential to fuelling our next phase of growth and innovation.”
IDA CEO Michael Lohan added, “Aiven’s decision to establish its EMEA go-to-market hub in Cork is a strong endorsement of the South West region’s reputation as a centre of innovation and excellence.
“This investment not only brings new employment opportunities; it also affirms the South West’s position as a leading destination for global technology companies seeking to scale and thrive. IDA Ireland looks forward to supporting Aiven as they continue to grow and contribute to Ireland’s dynamic tech ecosystem.”
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