CANADIAN software company Optiva has announced plans to expand its operation in Belfast by creating around 20 highly paid tech jobs.
The Ontario-based company, which is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, specialises in cloud based business management software.
Optiva originally set up a Belfast base in early 2021, recruiting 21 people over the past 18 months.
With an offer of £350,000 in financial support from Invest NI, Optiva has said it plans to increase its headcount to 40, creating new roles across software engineering and technology development.
Invest NI said the 40 roles will eventually be worth in excess of £2.4 million in annual wages, averaging at £60,000 a year.
The tech firm’s site lead in Belfast, Richard McLaughlin said: “We are not waiting for the future of telecom; we are helping to create it, and our Belfast presence is paramount in helping us to achieve this.
“Since setting up here 18 months ago, we are delighted with the progress our Belfast team has made.
“Whilst we examined other locations across Europe, Northern Ireland was a logical choice for our first centre of excellence, given its reputation as a thriving technology centre and concentration of global software companies, universities and talent.”
Invest NI’s technology director, George McKinney said: “Optiva’s Belfast centre fosters collaboration and innovation to support the development and delivery of its cloud-native software solutions globally.
"This new expansion underlines the company’s commitment to Northern Ireland, which will allow it to continue to benefit from our highly skilled talent pool.”
