Zendesk establishes Midwest regional hub in Madison

MADISON, WI. OCT. 12, 2018 – Zendesk, Inc., a customer engagement platform, is expanding its operations in Madison and establishing a Midwest regional hub—a project expected to create 136 jobs over the next three years.

“Companies have a choice when deciding to expand, and Zendesk’s decision to establish a regional hub in Madison is a testament to Wisconsin’s strong business climate and dedicated workforce,” said Tricia Braun, deputy secretary and chief operating officer of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), who joined company and community leaders today in a grand opening on West Main Street. “This investment will allow Zendesk to position itself for continued growth and success, and at the same time, create family-supporting jobs in the Madison area.”

“Since our earliest days in Madison, the city has felt like a second home for Zendesk,” said Mikkel Svane, Zendesk CEO and founder. “It offers a vibrant tech and business community, an abundance of talent, and a culture that supports our growth in the region and globally.”

“With its burgeoning tech scene and talented workforce, the city of Madison offers the perfect environment to foster growth,” added John Geschke, the company’s chief legal officer. “Since first establishing a presence here with five people in 2014, the office has boomed to nearly 300 employees. We look forward to continuing to build our team and invest in the city and the region.”

The company’s $12.7 million expansion will focus on growing and enhancing the customer service functions of the company, as well as its capabilities in finance, IT and professional services.

WEDC is supporting the expansion by authorizing up to $800,000 in state income tax credits based on job creation over the next three years. The actual amount of tax credits Zendesk will receive is contingent upon the number of jobs created and the amount of capital investment during that period.

Founded in 2007, Zendesk provides tools to help companies of all sizes create the best customer experiences. Zendesk serves businesses across a multitude of industries, with more than 125,000 paid customer accounts, offering service and support in more than 30 languages. Headquartered in San Francisco, Zendesk operates worldwide, with 15 offices in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and South America.

The Zendesk Madison office is home to the company’s global customer advocacy organization as well as engineering, sales, customer success, corporate social responsibility, and business and technology operations teams. Many of Zendesk’s regional customers, including Propeller Health and AkitaBox, contribute to the company’s global success and growth.

About the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) leads economic development efforts for the state by advancing and maximizing opportunities in Wisconsin for businesses, communities and people to thrive in a globally competitive environment. Working with more than 600 regional and local partners, WEDC develops and delivers solutions representative of a highly responsive and coordinated economic development network. Visit wedc.org or follow WEDC on Twitter @WEDCNews to learn more.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.