Irish software firm Intercom has moved into the former headquarters of Anglo Irish Bank, taking a floor of the once blighted building on St Stephen's Green in which the sorriest episodes of the Irish banking collapse played out over 2008.

The Irish-founded technology company which raised $23 million (€16.8 million) from investors in January quietly moved in last week.

“We are hiring and we are growing incredibly fast so we decided to locate there,” said Eoghan McCabe, co-founder and chief executive of Intercom.

Mr McCabe said he believed technology companies had an important part to play in Ireland’s economic recovery after the collapse of its banks but the decision to locate in Anglo’s old building was not meant as a statement to that effect.

“Obviously that’s a fun way to look at it! The reality is it is a great location with room to expand.”

Intercom sells software that allows web-based business see who is using their products and interact with them. It has 70 research and development engineer working on the second floor of the bank building.

Hiring

Mr McCabe said Intercom was hiring more software engineers, designers and product managers in Dublin.

“We have definitely got room to grow in our new location,” he said.

In San Francisco, Intercom has 30 more staff servicing its 2,000 paying customers including Heroku, Rackspace, Yahoo! and Hubspot.

"In the United States technology companies account for 20 per cent of GDP growth. If Ireland is to participate in this, we have to become part of the global economy finding opportunities in technology.

"Ireland has vastly benefited from the investment of overseas technology companies. There is a very good reason why Enda Kenny has come here twice, " said Mr McCabe from San Francisco.

Intercom was founded by Mr McCabe, Des Traynor, Ciaran Lee and David Barrett.