Established SME Funding

This section sets out the main funding supports and programmes for established small and medium sized enterprises in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors. An Established SME client is a company that is not a HPSU client, has an established trading record, the company (or its group of companies) employs between 10 and 250 employees, has either an annual turnover of less than €50m or an annual balance sheet of less than €43m. Note: Previous funding approved by Enterprise Ireland may impact on your eligibility for the following supports. Please consult with your Enterprise Ireland Adviser (DA) to discuss.

Funding decisions are determined by the;

  • Need for financial support for the project
  • Potential employment and sales growth
  • Previous funding provided to the company
  • Regional location of the company

If your DA instructs you that this is an ERDF project, click on ERDF Information for Clients.

Market Research and Internationalisation Supports

  • Be Prepared Grant
    Supports the costs of SME clients in preparing a plan to mitigate risks and optimise opportunities arising from Brexit. It can be used to help cover consultancy, travel and out of pocket expenses associated with researching the direction of their Brexit action plan. This might involve investigating the feasibility of diversifying to new markets and market segments; investment in innovation; improvement in operational competitiveness; enhancement of strategic financial capability.
  • Strategic Marketing Review Grant
    Grant support to undertake an approved programme of work in conjunction with Enterprise Ireland advisers and an approved external consultant. This support is targeted at established companies that have experience in selling internationally and who are interested in reviewing and developing their market development strategy.
  • Market Discovery Fund
    The aim of the Market Discovery Fund is to incentivise companies to research viable and sustainable market entry strategies in new geographic markets. It provides support towards internal and external costs incurred when researching new markets for products and services.
  • eMarketing Improvement Assignment
    An e-Marketing Improvement assignment is a training project facilitated/supported by an external expert. The aim is to develop and enhance your company's capability to use the internet as an effective channel for business development. 
  • Acumen Programme
    A cross-border Business Development Programme designed to stimulate cross-border trade (between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland) and develop other forms of commercial co-operation amongst SME's throughout the island of Ireland.
  • Enter the Eurozone Programme
    With the world's most dynamic, prosperous and stable market on your doorstep, your business is incredibly fortunate. The Eurozone offers incredible opportunities - and there's nothing to stop you taking advantage of these. That's why Enterprise Ireland has developed Enter the Eurozone - a unique programme that opens Europe's doors to ambitious Irish exporters.
  • Excel at Export Selling
    Excel at Export Selling is a series of workshops aimed at rapidly embedding the proven tools of good international selling practice into the sales teams of Irish companies across all industry sectors.
  • International Selling Programme
    Targeting company management and sales staff, this 10 month programme enhances company ability to access new markets and accelerates export sales growth. Delivered in conjunction with Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) in partnership with a panel of world-class experts and practitioners.

Supports for Product, Process or Services Development including RD&I Funding

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  • Business Innovation Offer
    Business Innovation supports the costs associated with implementing new production, delivery or organisational methods within a company in order to increase competitiveness. The grant covers salary, overheads, materials and consultancy costs with a grant of up to €150,000  
  • Exploring Innovation Grant
    Do you have a business idea and need funding to support it? Apply for the Exploring Innovation Grant which supports a company to explore the potential of an innovation related project resulting in some strategic and better planning of a future RD&I project.
  • Agile Innovation Fund
    Do you wish to develop a new product or improve an existing one? If the project cost is less than €300,000, apply for the Agile Innovation Fund which supports companies in sectors with rapid design cycles to maintain their technology position. It features a streamlined online application form with fast track approval. Projects may range from solving technical challenges (R&D) to innovations in services delivery or business models (Business Innovation).
  • Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I) Fund
    Do you wish to develop a new product or improve an existing one?  If the project cost is greater than €300,000, apply for the Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I) Fund which supports the development of new or substantially improved products, services or processes.
  • IP Strategy Support
    If you are engaging in any form of R&D, development or innovation, you will need to protect the IP you develop. IP Strategy Support supports companies to develop a strategy to manage and exploit IP coming from an RD&I project. This could include patents, designs, trade secrets, copyright and brands.
  • Be Prepared Grant
    Supports the costs of SME clients in preparing a plan to mitigate risks and optimise opportunities arising from Brexit. It can be used to help cover consultancy, travel and out of pocket expenses associated with researching the direction of their Brexit action plan. This might involve investigating the feasibility of diversifying to new markets and market segments; investment in innovation; improvement in operational competitiveness; enhancement of strategic financial capability.
  • Innovation Voucher
    Innovation Vouchers, worth €5,000, are available to assist a company to work with a registered college or knowledge provider to explore a business opportunity or technical problem.
  • Innovation Partnership Grant Programme
    Offers financial support to companies who engage in collaborative research projects with Irish universities and Institutes of Technology. The proposal process and administration of the project is managed by the participating third level research institution.
  • Horizon 2020 and other EU Research Funding Programmes
    If your company is interested in working on collaborative research projects with research partners across Europe, there are a range of international research programmes designed to foster collaborative cross-border research between companies in different member states.
  • Innovation 4 Growth Programme
    Targeted at ambitious companies seeking to drive growth through innovation, this programme supports companies through an end-to-end innovation learning and practice journey to deliver on one or more innovation initiatives. 

Supports to Enhance and Develop your Management Team

  • Mentor Grant
    Can be used to investigate the feasibility of developing a new product, process, technology or service offering.
  • Strategic Consultancy Grant
    Used to support the cost of planning or implementing a new strategic development initiative in your company. Cannot be used to support routine consultancy costs.
  • Key Manager / Part Time Key Manager Grant
    Grant to support the cost of hiring a new Key Manager. Must be critical to the company's future development and introduce key skills and expertise to the company's senior management team.
  • Go Global 4 Growth
    Delivered in partnership with Dublin City University, Go Global 4 Growth, a strategy implementation programme, facilitates the creation of international growth action plans by CEOs and their senior teams. Within the programme, expert business advisors mentor participating CEOs and their teams. 

Productivity and Business Process Improvement Supports

  • Green Offer
    The aim of the Green programme is to help companies incorporate sustainable practices into their business in order to reduce costs, increase competitiveness and increase their agility and resilience to climate change impacts. GreenStart and GreenPlus grants support costs for training and advisory services with grants of between 50% and 80%.
  • Lean Business Offer
    The Lean Business Offer is designed to support clients to adopt Lean business principles in their organisation to increase capacity and capability. LeanStart, LeanPlus and LeanTransform grants support costs for training and advisory services with grants of between 50% and 80%. 
  • Capital Investment Initiative Fund
    The aim of the Capital Investment Initiative (CII) is to assist Enterprise Ireland client companies improve productivity and competitiveness through the acquisition of new capital equipment and technology. The fund provides grant support up to a maximum of €250,000.
  • Business Innovation Offer
    Business Innovation supports the costs associated with implementing new production, delivery or organisational methods within a company in order to increase competitiveness. The grant covers salary, overheads, materials and consultancy costs with a grant of up to €150,000. 
  • Operational Excellence Offer
    Grant to support a company transformational project. Used to encompass LeanTransform, Business Innovation and the Capital Investment Initiative into a single project.
  • Building Information Modelling (BIM)
    Enterprise Ireland offers two levels of support for clients who wish to scope out and then implement a digital roadmap to drive growth within their organisation. BIM-Enable is a 7-day strategic consultancy programme which assists companies to set out a digital roadmap and consider how they can apply BIM within their organisation. BIM-Implement places an emphasis on training and the learning and implementation of BIM across the organisation.
  • GradStart
    The GradStart initiative offers support to Enterprise Ireland client companies to hire up to three graduates at any one time, for a graduate contract duration of two years. It is a broad based graduate placement across all disciplines and sectors. Enterprise Ireland has designed and developed a dedicated website for its graduate offers and initiatives - www.gradhub.ie. To support client companies to attract and recruit graduates, companies can advertise their opportunities via this website.

Company Expansion Packages

  • Job Expansion Fund
    Funding to support new employment. The fund provides grant support up to a maximum of €150,000 towards the recruitment of new employees. Applications for funding will be accepted on specific call close dates.
  • Tailored Company Expansion Packages
    If you are planning to undertake an ambitious expansion of your company that will create employment and grow your sales in international markets, Enterprise Ireland can discuss a tailored financial support package for your company.

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