A WEST of Ireland city is hoping to lure companies looking to keep an EU base after Brexit across the Irish Sea.
Galway has already attracted a number of multinational firms to the region and has now set its sights on companies in Britain.
Galway Chamber of Commerce says the British market and targeting key influencers in London will be its focus over the coming years.
“We are acutely aware of the importance of foreign direct investment to Galway," Galway Chamber President Conor O'Dowd said.
"While we have had significant success in attracting multinational companies, we are committed to ensuring that Galway remains a wonderful location to run a business, to work and to live."
Business leaders and representatives from Galway Chamber, Galway City Innovation District (GCID), Galway Technology Centre (GTC) and Government agencies, including the IDA, recently visited the English capital as part of their Why Galway? campaign.
Galway Technology Centre Chair Frank Greene said: “As the UK moves towards a hard Brexit and leaves both the Single Market and the Customs Union it is increasingly likely that many UK companies, particularly Financial Service Companies, will continue to need an EU base to do business.
"There are many European Cities seeking to attract this business and we in Galway must be assertive in promoting ourselves."
Rated as the Best Micro City in Europe 2016/2017, Galway has also been designated as a European Capital of Culture for 2020 and a Region of Gastronomy next year.
Galway Chamber says the city also carries other benefits to would-be newcomers including a 28 per cent lower cost of living than Dublin.
It also has a student population of 25,000 across two third level institutions with 8,000 graduates per year, whihc it says has allowed organisations such as Wayfair, EA Games and Siteminder togrow their European workforce.
Applied research centres at these institutions include the Insight Research Centre for Data Analytics, Digital Enterprise Research Centre, the Regenerative Medicine Institute and the Galway Medical Device Technology Centre.
Galway City Innovation District Chairman Maurice O'Gorman said: “We have welcomed a number of FDI companies to the PorterShed our innovation hub, providing work space and networking opportunities."
Keltie, a London-based intellectual property firm with offices in Galway at Galway Technology Centre and PorterShed since 2016, hosted the recent British delegation at the Irish Embassy in London.
Keltie LLP Partner Sean Cummings said: “The prospect of Brexit led us to choose Ireland as a common-law, English-speaking base in the EU.
"But we wanted more than just a nameplate in Dublin - we saw the opportunity to build an exciting new business.
"The West of Ireland is a hotbed of technologies that match Keltie’s traditional strengths, including medical devices, software, electronics, life sciences, renewable energy and marine engineering.
"By opening in Galway, Keltie has not only cemented its place in the EU - it has joined the innovation community of one of the world’s most energetic cities.”
Galway is also now home to a start-up community in SaaS, Fintech and medical devices such as Blue Drop medical and established international cloud-based platforms AltoCloud and OnePage CRM.
See More: Brexit, Featured, Galway, Why Galway
