Galway-based space technology company Mbryonics is set to create 125 jobs over two years as it ramps up production at its new manufacturing facility in Dangan.
The new roles, which will be in engineering, production, sales, and marketing support, are set be created by late 2027 and have been described as a “landmark” for Ireland’s space economy.
The technology company, which specialises in optics and photonics for use in satellite communications, datacoms and the 5G wireless sectors, secured a €17.5 million investment from the European Innovation Council Accelerator in 2024.
The company used the investment to create its new manufacturing facility, called Photon-1, which will manufacture the company’s optical communications terminal product StarCom, with an initial production capacity of 500 units a year.
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Its product is set to be used in the is the European Union’s multi-orbit satellite internet constellation, IRIS².
“We are proud to open Photon-1, the first of our volume production facilities, right here on the Wild Atlantic Space Coast in Galway,” said John Mackey, co-founder and chief executive of Mbryonics.
“As a Galwegian, it is especially meaningful to see our home city become a hub for cutting-edge space technology,” he said, describing the move as a “symbol” of Ireland’s work in the space sector.
Mr Mackey said the new plant is “just the beginning” acting as a “launch pad” for the company’s ongoing expansion, while the company has secured a site in Shannon for “Photon-2″ which he anticipates could have a production volume of “5,000 units a year.”
The opening of the Photon-1 facility was described as a “landmark for Ireland’s space sector” by the Minister for Enterprise, Peter Burke, and said Mbryonics’ collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) has enabled the company to begin large-scale production and global deployment.
Mr Burke said the development “demonstrates how Ireland’s membership of ESA not only drives innovation but also creates high-value jobs, boosts exports, and positions our country at the forefront of the fast-growing global space economy.”
Since it was founded in 2014, Mbryonics has grown its employee headcount to 100 people with the opening of the new plant set to grow the business beyond 225 people.
The siblings behind the company, Ruth, John and David Mackey, were named best established entrepreneurs at the annual EY Entrepreneur of the Year awards in 2024.
The executive director of Enterprise Ireland, Kevin Sherry, said the company is “a clear example of how Irish companies can lead internationally while creating high-value jobs at home.”
