The US’s most valuable start-up, Stripe, is plotting a major expansion in Europe.
The financial services and software firm, which is worth $95bn, plans to add 1,000 jobs in Ireland alone over the next five years after raising $600m from investors.
Launched in the US by two Irish brothers in 2011, Stripe processes payments for firms that range from tech giants, like Amazon, to Waitrose. Its business has boomed during the pandemic as online shopping exploded.
Stripe, which has dual headquarters in San Francisco and Dublin, is now active in 42 countries, including 31 in Europe, where many of its fastest growing customers are based.
“The growth opportunity for the European digital economy is immense,” Stripe president and co-founder John Collison said.
The brothers started the firm while barely out of their teens after moving from Ireland to the U.S. to attend college.
