Enterprise Ireland works with entrepreneurs and business people across the full business development spectrum - from early-stage entrepreneurs, to established business owners and Irish multinational companies. Their focus is on the following:
Their priority is the achievement of export sales growth from Irish-owned companies. All their services are geared toward helping Irish companies win international sales.
Their range of services is extensive, from funding, to making introductions in key international markets.
Funding supports - a range of supports, for start-ups, expansion plans, and R&D business plans.
Export assistance - including the provision of in-market services, local market information and the facilities of our international office network.
All services are made available to clients through their Enterprise Ireland Development Adviser who acts as the primary point-of-contact for all Enterprise Ireland services.
Development Advisers have sectoral expertise and are experienced in working with companies through all stages of the business development - from start-up, to established small and medium-sized enterprises, right through to Irish international companies with the ability to achieve significant scale.
Enterprise Ireland do not work with locally traded service companies or with micro-enterprises such as sole traders. Support for these companies or individuals is available from Local Enterprise Offices. However there are a supports that are relevant to smaller enterprises including the following:
Innovation vouchers
Innovation vouchers are available from Enterprise Ireland up to the value of €5,000 to encourage companies to work with third level institutions in developing new product offerings.
see link to www.enterprise-ireland.ie website below for more information
In conducting any research it may be worth reviewing the information section on the Enterprise Ireland website - see www.enterprise-ireland.com/infocentreclientguides
Competitive Start Fund
Throughout the year Enterprise Ireland advertise calls for applications from export focused new companies
See www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/funding-supports/Company/HPSU-Funding/ for more information
Microfinance Ireland
Microfinance Ireland’s COVID 19 Business Loan Fund has been highly successful since its inception in March. Over €15.65 million in loans has been approved to 581 Irish micro businesses, and a pipeline of further applications being processed which will require the remainder of the €20 million fund. A further 760 business have been supported through restructuring or deferral arrangements for existing customers.
Lending under the MFI COVID Scheme has supported 2000 jobs across the country. However, due to this unprecedent demand, lending through this scheme has currently been paused as legislation is required to increase the funding of MFI which is currently at capacity. This legislation is currently undergoing scrutiny in the houses of the Oireachtas. Microfinance Ireland and the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation will work together to reopen this Loan Fund as soon as the relevant funding has been put in place through the appropriate channels.
Microfinance Ireland has been funded by the Irish Government to provide loans to newly established and growing microenterprises (turnover less than €2m; & staff of less than 10) across all industry sectors that do not meet the conventional risk criteria applied by banks. It is a non-for-profit lender.
Microfinance Ireland works in partnership with the Local Enterprise Offices.
InterTrade Ireland Supports
Intertrade Ireland Programmes (Acumen, Focus, & Fusion)
ACUMEN PROGRAMME
The InterTradeIreland Acumen Programme is a cross-border business development programme designed by InterTrade Ireland to stimulate cross-border trade amongst small and medium enterprises in both parts of Ireland. The programme concentrates exclusively on stimulating cross-border trade by assisting individual SMEs with tailored consultancy and salary support mechanisms for market builders, in cross border markets in Ireland. The programme is available to eligible companies, (Manufacturing and Internationally Tradable Services) across the Island, subject to availability of funding. It does this in three ways:
- Consultancy ;
- Sales Salary Support &
- Prospector.
For more information on this programme go to www.acumenprogramme.com
FOCUS
Focus is an all island strategic marketing and sales initiative. The project is now rolling out following a successful pilot phase. The initiative is regarded as a network enabling tool and facilitates partnerships and projects between: Companies; private sector business, on an island wide basis Graduates; Degree / Diploma holders with a strategic marketing bias Sales Consultants; experienced sales and marketing advisors For further information on the initiative please see www.intertradeireland.com
FUSION
FUSION is InterTradeIreland's all-island technology transfer initiative that gives companies access to the wealth of expertise and facilities in our universities and colleges across the island of Ireland, allowing them to make strategic advances in innovation and capability.
For Further Information on these and other supports see www.intertradeireland.com
DSP Schemes
As part of it's measure ti reduce unemployment, the Department of Social Protection offers a number of employment supports to employers.
Jobsplus Employer Incentive
Jobsplus was launched in 2013 .
It is an employer incentive which encourages and rewards employers for taking on new full time employees who have been on the live register for over 12 months.
For full details see www.jobsplus.ie for full details
Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
This scheme allows those embarking on self employment to retain some existing welfare benefits while setting up a new business.
For further information see www.welfare.ie
You can also contact the local facilitator company Breffni Integrated on 049-4331029 to arrange a meeting to discuss your eligibility for the scheme.
Revenue Incentives
The Office of the Revenue Commissioners provides a number of supports and initiatives to assist start-up businesses and small to medium enterprises.
Skillnet Ireland -
A national agency dedicated to the promotion and facilitation pf workforce learning in Ireland.
Credit Review
The Credit Review Office was established by Government in 2010 to provide a simple and effective review process for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), sole traders and farm enterprises refused credit from the banks that were, at that time, participating in the NAMA scheme.
