The Mill Enterprise Hub
Ireland has a strong network of grants, investment, mentoring, loans and tax incentives—but finding the right support at the right stage can be confusing. This practical guide highlights some of the most useful national supports for founders and early-stage businesses.
Start here if you are still validating the customer problem, market demand, commercial potential or technical feasibility of your idea.
Enterprise Ireland’s national entrepreneur development programme helps ambitious founders test, develop and build a new business. Its three phases include mentoring, workshops, founder networks and a six-month intensive phase.
Useful for: Innovative ideas with the potential to scale. Eligible Phase 2 participants may receive a €15,000 tax-free stipend.
Supports research into market demand and the commercial or technical viability of a new product or service. Eligible costs may include market research, consultancy, technical development, design and prototyping.
Useful for: Testing an idea before making a major investment. Funding is subject to local eligibility and approval.
Your Local Enterprise Office can help you assess an idea, understand available supports and connect with an experienced mentor for practical guidance.
Useful for: First-time founders and small-business owners who need an independent sounding board.
LEO training that helps aspiring founders examine viability, market research, pricing, finance, sales, legal requirements and business planning.
Useful for: Moving from an idea to a structured start-up plan. Availability and dates vary by LEO.
An online programme for people with a food idea or a very early-stage food business, covering the Irish food sector and the practical steps involved in starting production.
Useful for: Food and drink founders, typically within their first 24 months.
A central government directory that helps businesses discover grants, funding, training, mentoring and other State supports.
Useful for: Finding additional or sector-specific schemes beyond this curated guide.
These supports may help when you have evidence behind the idea and are ready to establish the company, develop an initial offer or raise early capital.
A start-up grant for eligible micro-enterprises within their first 18 months. Support may cover qualifying capital, salary, consultancy, marketing and overhead costs.
Important: It is not available to every business type. Discuss eligibility with your LEO before incurring costs.
Enterprise Ireland investment for early-stage companies with the innovation, potential and ambition to succeed in global markets.
Current support: €50,000 or €100,000 investment plus ten mentoring sessions. This is investment—not a general business grant.
Enterprise Ireland equity investment, generally on a co-funded basis, for innovative High Potential Start-Ups capable of building internationally focused businesses.
Current support: Enterprise Ireland describes potential funding of up to €1.2 million, subject to assessment and terms.
Helps an ambitious founder or new company investigate the viability of an export-oriented proposition and prepare a robust, investor-ready business plan.
Useful for: Globally ambitious ventures that may meet Enterprise Ireland’s HPSU criteria.
Government-supported lending for viable micro-enterprises that may have difficulty obtaining finance elsewhere. Start-ups can access finance without giving away equity.
Current range: Start-up loans of €5,000–€50,000; smaller loans may also be available. Applying through a LEO can provide application support and a reduced rate.
Start-Up Relief for Entrepreneurs may allow qualifying people who leave employment to establish a company to obtain a refund of income tax previously paid.
Important: Employment history, shareholding, investment and company conditions apply. Obtain professional tax advice.
EII can provide income-tax relief to qualifying individuals who invest in qualifying companies, helping SMEs attract equity-based risk finance.
Important: Relief rates depend on the company and investment circumstances. Shares generally must be held for at least four years.
SCI is designed to help very early-stage micro-enterprises raise qualifying investment from family members while providing eligible investors with income-tax relief.
Important: Company, investor, share and lifetime funding conditions apply.
Qualifying new trading companies may receive relief from Corporation Tax during their first five years of trading.
Important: The calculation is linked to qualifying employer PRSI and Corporation Tax thresholds. Conditions and exclusions apply.
The Halo Business Angel Network connects investor-ready businesses with individual angel investors and syndicates that can provide capital, experience and contacts.
Useful for: Companies with a credible team, market opportunity, evidence of traction and a scalable proposition.
Use these supports to access expertise, develop products, improve operations, adopt digital tools or reduce energy use.
Helps an SME work with a registered university, technological university or other knowledge provider to solve a business or technical challenge.
Current support: Standard vouchers of €10,000 and co-funded vouchers up to €20,000; vouchers are valid for 18 months.
Supports collaborative research between a company and an Irish research institution to develop new knowledge, products, processes or services.
Useful for: Businesses that need specialist research expertise. Enterprise Ireland lists support of up to 80% of eligible research costs in relevant cases.
A tax credit for companies carrying out qualifying scientific or technological research and development in Ireland.
Current rate: 35% for qualifying 2026 accounting periods. Claims require evidence and may involve pre-filing notification rules.
LEO support that helps eligible small businesses assess their digital needs and identify practical opportunities to improve systems, efficiency and competitiveness.
Useful for: Creating a digital action plan. Completion may provide a route into the Grow Digital Voucher.
Supports eligible small enterprises implementing digital software, training and configuration identified through a recent Digital for Business project.
Current support: 50% of eligible costs, from €500 up to a cumulative maximum of €5,000. Eligibility conditions apply.
Helps qualifying small businesses develop their online trading capability through financial assistance, training and advice.
Current support: Up to €2,500, with 50% co-funding from the business. Confirm local availability before applying.
Helps eligible small enterprises begin their sustainability journey with expert guidance, resource-efficiency analysis and a practical action plan.
Useful for: Identifying energy, waste and sustainability improvements before investing.
Helps qualifying small businesses invest in eligible energy-efficient technologies following a Green for Business, GreenStart or SEAI energy audit.
Important: Applicants generally need 1–50 paid employees and at least six months of trading. Confirm eligible expenditure with your LEO.
LEO and Enterprise Ireland Lean supports help eligible companies improve productivity, processes, customer value and operational performance with expert assistance.
Useful for: Businesses experiencing inefficient workflows, unnecessary cost, delays or capacity constraints.
These routes become relevant when the business has customers or commercial evidence and is preparing to hire, expand, export or raise external investment.
Supports eligible micro-enterprises in their growth phase after the initial 18-month start-up period. Qualifying costs may include equipment, salaries, consultancy and marketing.
Typical framework: Up to 50% of eligible investment. Grants above €80,000 and up to €150,000 are exceptional and require strong growth or export potential.
Helps eligible small businesses evaluate and research potential new markets before making a larger export commitment.
Useful for: Customer research, competitor analysis and early market validation outside the company’s existing market.
Provides specialist advice and structured support to help SMEs understand and pursue cross-border opportunities across the island of Ireland.
Useful for: Businesses making their first move into the Northern Ireland market or strengthening existing cross-border sales.
Supports eligible SMEs to research, enter and grow in the cross-border market through specialist sales and marketing expertise.
Useful for: Developing a practical route to new customers across the island. Funding and match-funding conditions apply.
Connects companies with specialist graduate and academic expertise to deliver a defined innovation project, new product, process or capability.
Useful for: SMEs that need dedicated expertise to turn an innovation project into a commercial result.
An investor-readiness competition that helps early-stage and growth businesses strengthen their business plan, pitch and understanding of the investment process.
Useful for: Founders preparing to communicate a scalable opportunity to investors. Applications run in competition cycles.
Helps SMEs understand appropriate funding routes and prepare for conversations with finance providers through advice, clinics and workshops.
Useful for: Comparing grants, debt and equity before approaching a funder.
Provides internationalisation, innovation and partnership support to SMEs, including access to European business and research networks.
Useful for: Finding international partners, market information, innovation support and EU opportunities.
The most valuable support is not always the one offering the largest amount of money. It is the support that matches your current stage, evidence, ambition and next milestone.
The Mill Enterprise Hub can help you:
Information reviewed: 5 August 2026
