Manufacturing & Supply Chain

Funding awarded to start-ups in 2018 included two calls for up to €1.5 million in funding open to all sectors. €500K in funding targeted recent graduates while €750K in funding was made available through a fintech and deep tech CSF.

Start-ups supported by Enterprise Ireland in 2018 include:

• 82 High Potential Start-Ups – start-up businesses with the potential to create 10 jobs and €1million in sales within three to four years of starting up
• 50 Competitive Start Funds (CSFs) – critical early stage funding into new businesses to accelerate growth
• 28 new female-led HPSUs
• 15 new fintech HPSUs and a further five fintech start-ups were supported under a dedicated CSF fund
• 15 spin-out companies from higher education institutions
• 26 additional HPSUs which received follow-on investment funding as their businesses scaled.

Joe Healy, Manager, HPSU Division, Enterprise Ireland, said: “Even in today’s challenging business climate with Brexit looming, the appetite and enthusiasm amongst entrepreneurs is strong. In 2018 alone, Enterprise Ireland received over 1,300 start-up enquiries, representing a 30% increase on the previous year. Enterprise Ireland works and supports the brightest and best start-ups with the ambition to take their business global. A huge amount of supports exist within the start-up eco-system and we continue to work with our partners, be it through New Frontiers, the third level sector, the Accelerators, the Local Enterprise Offices, the BICs and the investment community to help early stage companies develop and succeed.”