Over 60% of businesses in Ireland are moving ahead with expansion plans, despite economic concerns - according to new research by data centre operator Equinix.
The research was carried out among 2,900 IT firms globally, of which 100 were based in Ireland.
It suggests that businesses here are slightly more likely than the average firm in EMEA to be pursuing expansion plans in the next year.
Almost one-third of those surveyed in Ireland plan to expand into a new country, while others will expand in to new regions or cities.
The Global Tech Trends Survey shows that the pandemic continues to have a significant impact on businesses' digital strategies.
43% of the respondents in Ireland said their IT budgets have increased as a result of the pandemic.
Of the 80% of businesses who implemented technology changes, 71% believe that these changes are here to stay.
The survey found that IT leaders supporting expansion plans are almost as likely to deploy a virtual presence in their new location via the cloud as they are to hire new, dedicated staff to form a physical presence in their target market.
"It now looks inevitable that soon, we will see virtual expansion becoming the de facto method of scaling up operations," said John Shorten, Senior Director of Operations for Equinix Growth and Emerging Markets.
"As our homegrown enterprises continue to expand, this level of interconnectedness is opening up an exciting era for Irish businesses and one that they seem increasingly prepared for," he added.
