Named after a gate. Built for the future.
Ishtar Gate is a software engineering company headquartered in Manchester with branches in Baghdad and Strasbourg. Our name comes from one of the wonders of the ancient world — and our work is about opening new gateways for modern businesses.
The eighth gate of Babylon
Around 575 BC, King Nebuchadnezzar II built the Ishtar Gate as the grand northern entrance to Babylon, in what is today Iraq. Faced with glazed bricks of deep lapis blue and decorated with golden aurochs, lions and dragons, it was once counted among the Seven Wonders of the ancient world.
The gate was more than a wall: it was the point where the Processional Way entered the city — a threshold between the outside world and one of the most advanced civilisations in history, the birthplace of writing, mathematics and law.
We chose the name because that is what good software does. It opens a gate between an idea and its users, between a business and the wider world. Our lapis-and-gold identity and our eight-pointed star — the ancient symbol of Ishtar — are a daily reminder of the standard we hold ourselves to: build things that last.
Our mission
To design and engineer digital platforms that are reliable, secure and a pleasure to use — and to be the partner our clients trust with the systems their businesses run on.
Our vision
To be the gateway through which businesses in the UK, Europe and the Middle East reach world-class software engineering — combining local presence with global standards.
What we stand for
Craftsmanship
Clean architecture, tested code and thoughtful design. We build software we're proud to sign.
Honesty
Clear estimates, transparent progress and straight answers — even when they're not what you hoped to hear.
Ownership
We treat your product as our own: we care about outcomes, not just tickets.
Bridges
Between cultures, languages and time zones. Diversity is our engineering advantage.
From first commit to three countries
A short history of how a small group of engineers grew into a company with offices in Manchester, Baghdad and Strasbourg.
2016
First lines of code
Our founders begin delivering web and .NET business systems for companies in Iraq and the UK.
2019
Mobile-first
Flutter and .NET MAUI practices established; first delivery and SMS platforms go live.
2021
Manchester headquarters
Ishtar Gate Ltd is established in the United Kingdom as the company's head office.
2023
Baghdad engineering hub
Our Al-Mansour branch opens, growing the mobile, web and backend teams.
2025
Strasbourg, France
A European office opens at 42 Rue Bocklin to serve clients across the EU.
2026
Ride-hailing in Finland
Design and implementation of a complete ride-hailing platform for the Finnish market.
The people behind the gate
A cross-functional team — every project gets architecture, engineering, design, testing and management expertise.
Solution architects
Domain modelling, cloud architecture and technology strategy for every engagement.
Mobile engineers
Flutter, .NET MAUI, Kotlin and Swift specialists shipping to both stores.
Backend engineers
.NET, Java, Rust and Node.js — APIs, real-time systems and integrations.
Product designers
Research, UX flows, design systems and multilingual, RTL-ready interfaces.
QA engineers
Automation, performance and security testing embedded in every sprint.
Project managers
Certified Agile and PRINCE2 practitioners who keep delivery predictable.
Three offices, one standard
Headquartered in the United Kingdom, with an engineering hub in Baghdad and a European office in Strasbourg. There is always someone awake, close to you and speaking your language.
- 3offices in 3 countries
- 3languages: English, Arabic, French
- 14services from design to DevOps
- 40+technologies in daily use
Manchester Strasbourg Baghdad
Home Tech, Manchester, United Kingdom
Baghdad, Iraq
Engineering branchStrasbourg, France
European branchHave an idea? Let's build it together.
Tell us about your product, your timeline and your goals. Within two working days we reply with a clear proposal, an architecture sketch and honest advice.