The landmark announcement this year that Datavant, one of the world’s foremost health data platform companies, has unveiled plans to establish its Global Research and Development Centre in Galway, represents a pivotal moment not only for the San Francisco-based company but also for Galway and the wider West of Ireland, solidifying the region’s position as a vital hub in the global healthcare technology ecosystem.
Datavant is widely recognised as the global leader in secure and compliant healthcare data exchange. With over 8,000 employees, the company operates a “network of networks” in the U.S. that enables privacy-preserving data sharing between life sciences organisations, payers, providers, and other healthcare stakeholders. Its mission is rooted in making health data accessible, actionable, and secure—addressing one of the industry’s most pressing challenges: fragmentation.
By connecting disparate data sets such as electronic health records (EHRs ), claims data, lab results, clinical trial information, and social determinants of health, Datavant empowers decision-makers with comprehensive, real-time insights that were previously unreachable. The ultimate aim is simple but ambitious: to ensure every health decision is powered by the right data, at the right time, in the right format.
Galway is a natural fit
The decision to establish Datavant’s Global Development Centre outside the United States is a significant milestone. Galway was chosen for a number of compelling reasons. The region boasts a rich talent pool, particularly in the health tech sector, supported by strong educational institutions like the University of Galway and Atlantic Technological University. Moreover, Ireland’s proximity to EU markets and Datavant’s European customers makes Galway an ideal strategic outpost.
Initially, Datavant plans to hire up to 125 professionals by the end of 2027, with recruitment already underway. The company is focusing on engineering roles, particularly in the areas of privacy, linkage technology, and corporate systems security—that will directly contribute to its Life Sciences, Ecosystem, and Public Sector businesses. These new hires will work out of the Portershed innovation hub in Galway, with plans to move into a city-centre location later this year.
At the helm of this expansion is Ciaran O’Toole, newly appointed Vice President of Engineering and Galway Technical Lead. O’Toole brings a wealth of experience from his previous role at Globalisation Partners, where he was instrumental in building their Irish engineering operations.
His track record of nurturing high-performance, multifunctional teams is seen as a strong asset for Datavant’s ambitions in Ireland.
“Being the first team member on the ground in Ireland is a great honour,” said Mr O’Toole. “What Datavant is bringing to the Galway – and Irish–tech scene is incredible, especially at a time when secure data transfer is essential in a connected world. The software we build here will solve real-world problems and influence healthcare decisions globally.”
Datavant has appointed internationally-experienced technology business leader Deirdre Giblin as VP of Operations and Site Lead for Datavant Ireland, its global R&D centre in Galway.
Galway native Deirdre is a senior technology and operations leader with over 27 years of experience in the communications and software industry. She has held a series of senior global positions at a world-leading communications technology company.
Most recently, as?Head of Software Production Systems, Deirdre led the global Software Development Ecosystem supporting over 10,000 developers across a number of R&D centres for a global communications technology company. She drove large-scale transformation initiatives to enhance software delivery, operational resilience, and innovation.
With deep expertise in?R&D, cloud transformation,?Software-as-a-Service and?site operations, Deirdre is known for building high-performing teams and delivering technology solutions that scale globally.
Deirdre is also a board member of ITAG (Innovation Technology AtlanTec Gateway ), which is a non-profit, industry-led community of indigenous and multinational companies supporting a thriving technology community through talent development, upskilling and providing opportunities to member companies to connect and collaborate.
Her leadership will be instrumental as Datavant continues to expand its global footprint and build a culture of innovation and excellence in Ireland.
CEO Kyle Armbrester also reinforced the importance of the Galway centre.
“We’re tackling one of healthcare’s most urgent problems—fragmented data. Our Galway team will play a critical role in our mission to deliver seamless, secure, and impactful health data exchange across the globe.”
Backing from the Government and IDA Ireland
Datavant’s arrival was facilitated and welcomed by Irish government officials and enterprise leaders. Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke praised the investment as a major boost to regional development.
“This great news is another vote of confidence in the Government and IDA’s Regional Development focus. With strong support from our educational institutions and a highly skilled workforce, the West of Ireland is well-positioned for such investment.”
IDA Ireland CEO Michael Lohan echoed the sentiment, stating that Datavant’s decision highlights IDA Ireland’s success in securing new investments for every region. Their presence will strengthen Galway’s already thriving healthcare technology cluster.”
The impact of Datavant’s expansion extends well beyond job creation. It enhances Galway’s standing as a centre of excellence in health technology and innovation. The synergy between global corporations like Datavant and local institutions offers immense potential for collaboration in research, education, and community development.
Moreover, this development signals to other tech and life sciences companies that the West of Ireland offers not only a strong pipeline of talent but also a welcoming environment for international investment and innovation. For local graduates and seasoned professionals alike, Datavant offers an exciting opportunity to work on cutting-edge global healthcare challenges from the West of Ireland.
With its Galway-based Global Development Centre, Datavant is positioning itself to scale innovation and collaboration across time zones and continents. The company’s decision to establish roots in Galway demonstrates how regions outside of major metropolitan centres can play a transformative role in solving global problems.
As Datavant builds its team and integrates Galway into its global operations, the West of Ireland stands to benefit immensely, from economic growth to international visibility.
Ultimately, this expansion is not just a story of business development—it’s about the convergence of talent, technology, and purpose in one of Ireland’s most dynamic regions.
