Tigers Childcare operates early-years childcare services across 14 sites (13 in Dublin and one in London) and was founded in 2003. The business employs over 200 people and provides care to more than 2,000 children, making it the third-largest childcare provider in Ireland by site count. The company is actively pursuing growth through acquisitions — it acquired Little Fairies Creche and Montessori in Tallaght in September and says it is pursuing further deals. Tigers positions itself to benefit from expanding state subsidies for early learning, which the article notes are slated to cost taxpayers over €700m through 2022. The CEO and founder is Karen Clince, who highlights maintaining quality through growth as a priority. Tigers Childcare operates 13 centres in Dublin and Meath, serving 1,250 children and employing 162 staff. All of its Irish centres are reported to be operating at full capacity, and senior staff are qualified to degree level. The company provides full day care and after-school services and plans to grow through a combination of acquisitions and new centre openings. In February it will open its first overseas facility in London’s Elephant and Castle after winning a tender to operate a 7,000 sq ft centre owned by Lendlease. Tigers previously expanded in 2017 by acquiring three centres from Bright Horizons. The company is pursuing a buy-and-build strategy to address under-capacity in the childcare sector.

Total raised

$18M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Equity

Latest activity

Nov 2021