EUROPEAN technology firm Openchip has expanded its operations in Ireland with the opening of a new design centre in Limerick.
The company, which is headquartered in Barcelona, says the development will provide capacity for highly-skilled research & development (R&D) roles at the site.
There are currently around 40 R&D staff at the centre in the Gardens International building on Henry Street, with the number expected to grow to 70 within the coming year.
Openchip says it plans to recruit a range of staff, from graduates to senior experts, while leveraging the strong talent ecosystem and close collaboration between local universities and industry in the midwest region.
"The opening of Openchip's new design centre in Limerick is another strong endorsement of Ireland's global reputation as a hub for research and development in semiconductor and advanced technologies," said Peter Burke TD, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment.
'European digital sovereignty'
Openchip integrates in-house-designed, high-performance RISC-V accelerators and systems-on-chip (SoCs) with an innovative full-stack software platform.
Established in 2021, it aims to develop microprocessor technology and counter Europe's dependence on foreign countries for the design, production and acquisition of microchips.
Most of the design and manufacture of semiconductors and microchips for supercomputing takes place outside Europe, particularly in the US, Taiwan, China, Japan and Korea.
"Openchip's growth is vital for achieving European digital sovereignty," said CEO Cesc Guim.
"Our expansion, including strategic locations in Europe like Ireland, is key to building the robust, homegrown semiconductor, AI and advanced technologies ecosystem Europe needs.
"By growing together, we will deliver the next generation of high-performance full-stack system on chip and software innovation to contribute to Europe's technological sovereignty."
'Highly-skilled workforce'
Openchip's Irish operations already include senior leadership across product management, hardware and software engineering, architecture and sustainability.
The new design centre, developed by Limerick Twenty Thirty, is Limerick's first city-centre LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold–certified office scheme.
The multi-award-winning architectural fusion of old and new Limerick features state-of-the-art laboratories and modern office facilities.
Robin Giller, Chief Product Officer at Openchip, said the company's expansion in Ireland reflects its broader mission to advance Europe's AI and supercomputing capabilities through sovereign technology.
"Openchip is a super-ambitious, Europe-centric project that takes a highly-collaborative approach to solving real problems in AI data centres and supercomputing environments," he said.
"There is an incredible opportunity to help drive Europe's AI infrastructure direction and our Ireland operations are at the forefront of this effort with our highly-skilled workforce and ecosystem of partners."
See More: IDA Ireland, Limerick, Openchip
