Canadian Tech Firm Tactable Establishes Belfast Hub, Creating 16 New Technology Jobs
Canadian technology company Tactable is to establish a new delivery hub in Belfast, creating 16 new technology-focused positions in the city — the latest in a series of international tech investments that have reinforced Northern Ireland's standing as a competitive destination for digital sector companies seeking a European base.
Background
Belfast's technology sector has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade, evolving from a relatively modest cluster of local firms into a genuinely competitive location for international investment. The city's combination of a highly educated workforce, competitive operating costs relative to Dublin and London, and a growing ecosystem of tech companies, universities, and support organisations has made it an increasingly attractive proposition for companies looking to establish or expand their European operations.
Invest Northern Ireland, the economic development agency, has been central to this transformation, working to attract foreign direct investment and to support the growth of indigenous tech companies. The agency has had notable successes in recent years, bringing companies from North America, Europe, and Asia to establish operations in Belfast and across the wider Northern Ireland region. Each new investment builds on the last, strengthening the ecosystem and making the next investment easier to attract.
Tactable, founded in Canada, specialises in custom software development and digital transformation services — helping organisations across sectors to modernise their technology infrastructure and build bespoke digital solutions. The company has been growing rapidly and identified Belfast as the optimal location for its European delivery hub, citing the quality of the available talent and the city's strong track record in software development.
Key Developments
Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald announced the Tactable investment on 18 June, welcoming the company to Northern Ireland and describing the decision to locate in Belfast as a vote of confidence in the region's tech talent and business environment. The 16 positions to be created will be technology-focused roles, including software engineers, project managers, and digital transformation consultants.
Tactable's Belfast hub will serve as the company's primary European delivery centre, working with clients across the UK, Ireland, and continental Europe. The company has indicated that it expects the Belfast operation to grow beyond the initial 16 positions as it builds its European client base, with the potential for further job creation in the medium term.
The investment was supported by Invest NI, which provided assistance to Tactable as part of its programme to attract high-value foreign direct investment to Northern Ireland. The agency has indicated that the Tactable announcement is part of a broader pipeline of tech sector investments that it expects to announce in the coming months.
Why It Matters
The Tactable investment is significant not just for the 16 jobs it creates directly, but for what it signals about Belfast's position in the competitive landscape for international tech investment. The city is competing with locations across Europe — including Dublin, Edinburgh, Amsterdam, and Warsaw — for the same pool of companies looking to establish European operations. Each successful investment strengthens Belfast's case for the next one.
The timing of the announcement is also notable, coming at a moment when Northern Ireland's economy is navigating a complex set of challenges and opportunities. The region has outperformed the rest of the UK in economic growth since Brexit, partly due to its unique position under the Windsor Framework, which gives it access to both the UK and EU single markets. That dual access is a genuine competitive advantage for companies like Tactable that serve clients across both markets.
For the tech workforce in Belfast — graduates from Queen's University Belfast, Ulster University, and the city's growing network of coding bootcamps and digital skills programmes — each new international employer represents an additional career option and a signal that the sector is growing.
Local Impact
The Tactable hub is expected to be located in Belfast city centre, adding to the concentration of tech companies in the area around the Cathedral Quarter and the emerging innovation district around the Ulster University campus at York Street. The 16 initial positions will be recruited locally, with the company working with Invest NI and local universities to identify suitable candidates.
For the wider Belfast economy, the investment contributes to the city's ongoing effort to diversify its economic base and reduce its dependence on the public sector, which remains disproportionately large relative to comparable UK cities. Each private sector tech job created in Belfast represents a step towards a more balanced and resilient local economy.
What's Next
Tactable is expected to begin the recruitment process for its Belfast hub in the coming weeks, with the first positions advertised through local job boards and the company's own channels. The hub is expected to be operational by the end of the third quarter of 2026. Invest NI has indicated that it will continue to work with Tactable as the company grows its European operation, with a view to supporting further expansion in Northern Ireland over the coming years.
