The enterprise, which was started by brothers Patrick and John Collison from Co. Tipperary, has expanded internationally.
Data from Stripe gives insight into Ireland's expansion. Only a few hundred Irish companies used Stripe in 2013. Nowadays, "tens of thousands of ventures run on Stripe, with hundreds more joining every week"
They include traditional businesses like the GAA, Irish Life, and Smyths Toys Superstores that are "reinventing themselves for the digital age" as well as technology firms like Glofox and Wayflyer that were "built on Stripe from the beginning." Irish companies have processed more than €20 billion using Stripe during the past ten years.
“Thinking back to when we launched Stripe, Ireland’s tech scene is like night and day. Tech founders would find it impossibly difficult to raise money and compete for talent, and small businesses simply didn’t have the tools to operate online. Nowadays, Ireland produces software companies at industrial scale, and the internet economy is everywhere. With new talent coming through courses like the University of Limerick’s Immersive Software Engineering and accelerators like NDRC, I’m excited to see what Irish founders build next,” said John Collison, cofounder and president of Stripe.
Ireland's internet economy still has "a lot more room to grow" after a decade of expansion. Only 22% of goods and services were ordered online even during the pandemic, according to official statistics. According to Stripe, businesses in the health, education, and other significant Irish areas are just now beginning their journey to the internet. According to the European Commission, local small companies still get four out of every five of their sales in person.