Bengaluru, July 3 (IANS): Global software major Infosys Ltd on Friday announced it would invest $10 million (Rs.64 crore) in Ireland-based start-ups as it made a foray into the island-nation by winning a deal from Allied Irish Banks, plc.

"The $10-million investment in Irish start-ups will be from our global innovation fund to leverage our strategic partnership with Allied Irish Banks, a leading financial services group," the company said in a statement here.

The innovation fund, set up in 2013 with $100 million, was expanded to $500 million in January by its first non-founder chief executive Vishal Sikka to invest in software product start-ups worldwide, including India, which are working in disruptive technologies.

"Investment in the Irish start-up community reflects our belief that Ireland is home to entrepreneurs who share our technology vision to drive growth," Infosys' financial services global head Mohit Joshi said in the statement.

The partnership with the Irish bank will be a springboard for the IT outsourcing major to expand its services into a new market and share its expertise with start-ups developing and enabling disruptive technologies.

"We will leverage our domain expertise in financial services and other industry verticals to support digital transformation and strategic growth plans of the Irish bank," Joshi added.

To provide transformational and innovation services, the city-based company will set up a 200-seat development centre in Dublin for the Irish Bank staff.