Kainos: Powering Digital Transformation Across the Globe from Northern Ireland
Kainos’ Northern Ireland teams drive global innovation by delivering accessible and cutting-edge digital transformation solutions to forward-thinking organisations worldwide.
A Northern Ireland Success Story
Kainos is a Northern Ireland success story, demonstrating the region's transformation into a hub of innovation and technological excellence. Founded in Belfast in 1986, the company has grown from a small local startup into a global leader in IT services. Headquartered in Belfast, Kainos now operates in 20 countries across Europe and North America and employs more than 3,500 people. In 2011, the company opened its second Northern Ireland office in Derry~Londonderry. The company specialises in digital services and platforms that help businesses streamline operations and improve customer experiences. Kainos supports more than 1,100 global clients, delivering transformative solutions across sectors including healthcare, financial services, the public sector, education and retail.
A Catalyst for Global Impact
Kainos’ Northern Ireland operations play a pivotal role in the company’s global operations, with these teams leading critical projects including digital platforms for the UK government and healthcare solutions for leading global providers. Its continued commitment to the city is reflected in its £39 million investment in Bankmore, its new Belfast office and headquarters, which will support future growth and innovation. By working from this hub, Kainos benefits from access to a highly skilled workforce and a supportive business ecosystem that strengthens its innovative edge.
A Commitment to Local and Global Excellence
Kainos’ success is rooted in its commitment to developing local talent and driving innovation. Invest NI has played a pivotal role in this journey providing financial support, facilitating strategic growth, and fostering partnerships with academic institutions such as Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University. These collaborations have helped Kainos build a robust talent pipeline and access cutting-edge research.
This dedication to innovation and collaboration is exemplified by Kainos’ £10 million investment in advancing and scaling Generative AI through its partnership with Ulster University’s AI Research Centre. This initiative focuses on conducting pioneering research to drive international progress in AI, showcasing how Kainos utilises local expertise to make a global impact.
Building on this commitment, Kainos announced in 2026 that it will create 341 new jobs across Belfast and Derry~Londonderry over the next three years. The expansion will support growing customer demand for AI-enabled digital transformation services across the public, healthcare and commercial sectors, further strengthening Northern Ireland’s reputation as a centre for advanced digital and AI capabilities.
Driving Innovation Through Strategic Partnerships
Kainos’ growth has also been fuelled by partnerships with global technology leaders Workday and Microsoft.
As a long-standing Workday partner, Kainos is known for its expertise across the Workday ecosystem, including HCM, Finance, Adaptive Planning, and Extend. It is a design partner for Workday’s new AI Agent System of Record, reflecting its role in shaping the future of AI within the platform. This builds on its early involvement in Workday’s ‘Built on Workday’ programme, reinforcing its status as a trusted innovation partner.
Kainos also has a decades-long relationship with Microsoft, being named Microsoft’s first UK Services Partner of the Year in 2023. The company recently launched a Microsoft AI Centre of Excellence (AI CoE), bringing together over 250 AI and data experts to help clients design and scale AI solutions using Microsoft’s most advanced technologies.
Kainos blends local talent, academic collaboration, and strategic partnerships with global technology leaders to deliver world-class digital solutions internationally. It drives innovation in AI and digital transformation, helping to position Northern Ireland as a significant player in the global tech landscape.
- Headquartered in Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Staff based in 20 countries, including UK, USA, Canada, Germany, France, Australia and Argentina
- Kainos provides digital technology solutions and Workday deployments that allow organisations and people to work smarter, faster, and better
- Over 1,100 customers worldwide
- Key industries include healthcare, financial services, public sector, education and retail