Business Support

The Creative Ireland Cultural Team in Louth is pleased to announce an open call for Louth based creative practitioners to submit applications for the Creative and Cultural Jobs Stimulus Measure Funding 2020. Closing date for applications : 4pm on Tuesday 25th August 2020

The LEO Louth offers advice, counselling, training, networking and financial support to budding entrepreneurs and existing enterprises in support of the generation of employment and economic growth in County Louth, for the benefit of all its citizens.

The LEO offers an Innovation Voucher initiative, which was developed to build links between Ireland’s public knowledge providers (i.e. higher education institutes, public research bodies) and small businesses.  Innovation Vouchers worth €5,000 are available to assist a company or companies to explore a business opportunity or problem with a registered knowledge provider.

Enterprise Ireland is the government organisation responsible for the development and growth of Irish enterprises in world markets. We work in partnership with Irish enterprises to help them start, grow, innovate and win export sales in global markets.

The Design & Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCoI), which is headquartered in Kilkenny, is the main champion of the design and craft industry in Ireland, fostering its growth and commercial strength, communicating its unique identity and stimulating quality design, innovation and competitiveness.

This online guide is part of the Irish Government’s Supporting SMEs campaign, to increase awareness of the range of Government supports for start-ups and small businesses.

The Irish Point of Single Contact (PSC) is located in the Internal Market Unit of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. The main role of the PSC is to provide general information on the procedures required for Irish/EU Businesses who intend operating in Ireland. (e.g. procedures required for working as an Architect in Ireland).

Welcome to the website of the Small Firms Association, the “Voice of Small Business” in Ireland with over 8000 member companies. We hope that you find the new format valuable in accessing our information resources which are designed to assist you in managing your business.

The National Association of Community Enterprise Centres (NACEC) is a network of 120 community enterprise centres in the Republic of Ireland, formed in 2008, Its primary role is to support and develop the interests of community enterprise centres on a national basis.

Startup Refunds for Entrepreneurs (SURE) is a tax relief incentive scheme. If you are interested in starting your own company, you may be entitled to an income tax refund of up to 41% of the capital that you invest under SURE.

HBAN is an all-island umbrella group responsible for the development of business angel syndicates. HBAN actively works to increase the number of angel investors involved in investing in early stage companies and supports the formation of new and existing angel networks, both regionally and internationally, and within industry sectors.

Business angel investors are high net worth individuals who provide smaller amounts of finance (typically in the range €50,000/£40,000 to €250,000/£200,000) at an earlier stage than many venture capital funds are able to invest. They are increasingly investing alongside both seed venture capital funds and government agency funding on the island.

There are 150 places available each year and the successful candidates each receive €15,000 and training in areas like business planning, sales and marketing. It’s a very competitive programme, so candidates are asked to make sure they have a sustainable new business idea, that will “trade internationally, create employment and generate revenue”.

A new on-campus centre for commercialisation and innovation at the National College of Art and Design (NCAD), Origin8 aims to allow industry partners to access the very best and latest in design research. At the same time, it allows on-campus designers and researchers to get access to successful companies that need good designers.

DCU’s Ryan Academy runs the Propeller Venture Accelerator programme for early-stage technology startups. This three-month accelerator offers €45,000 for 7.5% in ordinary shares, this is broken down to; €30,000 seed funding plus €15,000 in services costs to entrepreneurs with winning ideas.

The Regional Skills North East is part of a national programme funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to assess and develop skills for employees within businesses. 

Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE) competition is open to all sectors. The competition takes place at county level initially, with a prize fund of €50,000 available to the winners of three separate categories. Are you 30 or under with a business idea or an existing business? If so, the IBYE competition could be for you.

Bank of Ireland Startup Awards is a yearly competition that offers a large range of supports for the competition winners. The awards are open to all sole traders, partnerships or corporate bodies, trading in the Republic of  Ireland or Northern Ireland that have been in business three years or less on the year of entry to the awards.