Why Cork?
Ireland’s second city region, Cork offers the perfect combination of vibrant city and spectacular coastal scenery and beaches on your doorstep. Cork is full of character and offers a perfect work-life balance.
Strong Clusters
- ICT, pharma, cyber security, renewable energy, financial and professional services, maritime and agri-food clusters
- Industry clusters supported by world-class research groups and centres of excellence
- Ireland’s second centre for financial services
- World-leading Life Sciences cluster spans the pharmaceutical, bio-pharma & medical device sectors
- Growing offshore renewable energy cluster with huge potential for exponential growth
- Multiple EMEA operations servicing multiple markets in the local language
Cork For Business
- Cork ranked 2nd small European city for Economic Potential, 2nd Overall, 3rd for Business Friendliness and 5th for FDI Strategy (FDI Intelligent European Cities and Regions of the Future 2025)
- Cork City generates the highest revenue per person in Ireland
- 100 Gbps fibre connectivity between Cork & the US & UK
- Cork voted the third friendliest city in the world (2018, Condé Nast Traveler)
- Strong pro-business environment
- Collaborative, inter-agency partnerships
- Thriving start-up community, entrepreneurial spirit with first-class accelerator initiatives
580,000+ Population
- Ireland's second largest city with a population 220,000+ and 580,000+ in Cork County
- Cork City’s population is set to increase by 50% by 2040
- 30% of Cork’s population is under 17 years of age
- Cork continues to grow in diversity with Non-Irish nationals accounting for 12% of its population
- Located on the south coast of Ireland with direct access to EU markets
- The EU’s second largest English-speaking city
- Ideally situated between USA and Asia-Pacific markets
- Only 2.5 hours from Dublin
40,000 3rd Level Students
- Cork delivers top class talent with its two regional universities
- These Universities, UCC & MTU, have over 40,000 students and 13,200 graduates combined
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Excellence in R&D and innovation through third-level research institutes
- Cork produced 15.4% of the total graduate population in Ireland in 2022
- UCC is in the top 1.1% of Universities in the world and is home to CUBS – Ireland’s largest business school
- MTU, Ireland's highest ranked technological university, works closely with industry to develop relevant, industry focused courses
- Four other third level institutes within a 2-hour commuting distance
200+ Overseas Companies
- FDI investors employ over 50,000 people in the region
- Multicultural workforce from over 100 different countries
- Per capita, Cork has the highest number of FDI companies in Ireland
- Cork is home to several strong industry clusters built on a mix of FDI investment and indigenous SMEs
- Strong track record of successful international investment and re-investment
Big on Life
- Cork’s strong regional industry clusters offer high quality roles to grow a rewarding professional career
- Among 100 cities participating in EU Mission for climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030
- Ireland’s maritime haven
- Home to the highest number of Blue Flags and Green Coast Awards in Ireland, accross beaches and marinas (Blue Flag 2025 & Green Coast Awards 2025)
- Cork City centre’s night-time economy has retained its Purple Flag accreditation (ACTM 2024)
- Spectacular rural and coastal environment
- Compact city-living
- Festival city-region
- Ireland's gastronomical capital
- Ranks in the top 4% of cities for cleanest air quality in Europe (European Environmental Agency, 2024)
Transport Links
- Direct flights to hub airports in London, Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt, Rome & Manchester
- 50+ destinations served from Cork International Airport
- World’s second largest natural harbour with new routes to Belgium, France & the US
- Hourly trains between Cork & Dublin
State of the Art Offices
- Prime Cork City centre office rents are half that of Dublin City centre office rents (Savills Research – Review and Outlook 2024)
- Highly competitive rates
- New state of the art office space in the city centre
- Gold and Platinum LEED offices
- 17 innovative co-working hubs in the county
Your global business desitnation
Cork is an international gateway to Europe and has a strong track record in attracting and retaining investment. There is a positive can-do attitude with a strong talent pipeline and collaborative inter-agency approach that inspires confidence in international investors and makes visitors feel instantly welcome.