Tech company to open development centre
Invest Northern Ireland today announced that Chelsea Apps Factory, one of the UK’s fastest growing tech companies, is opening a new technology development centre in Belfast.
Chelsea Apps Factory, specialists in helping businesses mobilise their workforce by harnessing the power of technology, will open the hub in early 2015 in a central Belfast location. The firm will initially build a 33-strong development team, and is now actively recruiting to find specialists in mobile software development and testing.
The company – which currently employs 70 people across its London and Edinburgh offices – has an ambition to double in size over the next 18 months. It counts household names Ladbrokes, KPMG and Waitrose among its clients.
Alastair Hamilton, Chief Executive of Invest Northern Ireland, said: “Chelsea Apps Factory’s decision to locate its new tech hub in Belfast is indicative of the pulling power that Northern Ireland has for globally-focused IT companies. Belfast is Europe’s top destination for software and technical support investment[1].
“These new high-quality jobs will pay above the Northern Ireland private sector median and will generate almost £1m a year in salaries. As a specialist provider in this rapidly growing niche sector, Chelsea Apps Factory also brings with it a range of skills and experience that will benefit the local IT sector.”
Invest NI has offered the company assistance of £264,000 for the new jobs.
Mike Anderson, CEO and Founder of Chelsea Apps Factory, said: “We passionately believe that the UK has some of the world’s finest technology talent, with the skills and capabilities required to serve British businesses.
“As an expanding business, we want to invest in communities that will help us deliver real quality to our customers. The availability of some of the UK’s finest IT graduates, along with the support from Invest Northern Ireland, made Belfast the primary choice for our new base.”
He added: “At Chelsea Apps Factory, we pride ourselves on nurturing and training talented people, helping them succeed in our growing business.”
