Irish grants, mapped to your stage.
A fast, Wexford-first lens on the grants, loans and vouchers that actually fit your business today. Pick your stage, take the 60-second quiz, and skip the reading.
Not a replacement for the National Enterprise Hub — a curated, AI-enhanced shortcut to it. All grants link back for full detail.
Cards carry flags for scope — EU, Ireland, Wexford. Grants flagged Ireland + Wexford are national schemes delivered by your local LEO — the links point at Wexford LEO, but the same grant exists in every county.
Where is your business today?
Pick one. You can switch at any time, or scroll down to take the quiz for a tighter match.
All supports
24 grants · sorted by usefulness for your stage
Feasibility Study Grant
Validate a new product, service or innovation before you commit. Ideal first stop for founders testing an idea.
Trading requirement
Pre-trading or very early — before you commit real capital.
Priming Grant
The main capitalisation grant for your first 18 months of trading. Covers fit-out, equipment, software and salaries.
Trading requirement
Less than 18 months since you started trading.
Business Expansion Grant
For established micro-enterprises past the 18-month mark, scaling into new markets or hiring for growth.
Trading requirement
18+ months trading with a demonstrable growth trajectory.
Grow Digital Voucher
Replaced the Trading Online Voucher. Funds CRM, cloud tooling, digital transformation and staff training.
Trading requirement
Solvent, trading 6+ months, 1–50 employees.
Market Explorer Grant
The current-year LEO grant for exploring new international markets — replaces the older TAME scheme. Funds trade fairs, market research, overseas travel and localised marketing.
Trading requirement
1–50 employees, prior export experience or comparable LEO/accelerator programme.
Microfinance Ireland Loan
Unsecured debt for businesses that have been refused by high-street banks. 3-year term, interest-only for first 3 months.
Trading requirement
Start-up or under-10-employee business, turnover under €2m.
Wexford Small Business Support Grant
Municipal rebate on commercial rates for Wexford ratepayers. Quiet but real liquidity relief for small premises.
Trading requirement
Any trading business occupying rated commercial property in Wexford.
HPSU Feasibility Grant
For founders targeting High-Potential Start-Up status. Funds deep technical research and investor-ready planning.
Trading requirement
Registered in Ireland for less than 5 years, HQ and control in-state.
Pre-Seed Start Fund
Bridges the gap to institutional seed. Structured to avoid valuation complexity while injecting liquidity + 10 mentoring sessions.
Trading requirement
Exceptionally early-stage, with commercial milestones clearly defined.
Agile Innovation Fund
Short-cycle R&D fund for rapid product/process innovation. Ideal for first-time R&D claimants and short product lifecycles.
Trading requirement
Enterprise Ireland client (or eligible to become one).
LEADER Programme (Wexford)
EU rural development capital for Wexford businesses in tourism, niche food/beverage and green economy. Mid-tier scaling money.
Trading requirement
Rural Wexford business, up to 250 employees, aligned with the Wexford Local Action Group strategy.
EIC Accelerator
Horizon Europe's flagship for deep-tech disruptors. Combines non-dilutive grant with direct EIC Fund equity.
Trading requirement
Any SME developing a breakthrough technology, from early-stage through scale.
Ideas Powered for Business SME Fund 2026
Halves the cost of national (IPOI) or EU trademark and design filings. Protect your brand before you scale.
Trading requirement
Any EU-established SME, any stage.
SURE — Start-Up Refunds for Entrepreneurs
Left a PAYE job to start your own Ltd company? Claim back income tax you paid in the current year plus the previous 6 years, on capital you invest in the new company.
Trading requirement
Pre-trading or within 2 years of incorporation when you invest.
Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
Already on a long-term welfare payment and want to start a business? Keep 100% of your payment in year 1 and 75% in year 2 — up to 624 days.
Trading requirement
Business must be brand new or recently launched, approved in advance.
Short-Term Enterprise Allowance
Specifically for Jobseeker's Benefit recipients (the PRSI-based payment, not Jobseeker's Allowance). Pays your JB rate for up to 9 months while you start a business — no qualifying period.
Trading requirement
Your business must be starting or very recently launched.
Enterprise Support Grant
Stacks on top of BTWEA or STEA. Covers start-up costs — accountancy, business equipment, marketing, training, short-term insurance — when the main allowance alone isn't enough.
Trading requirement
New business starting under BTWEA / STEA.
EIIS — Employment Investment Incentive
Not money to you — money to your investors. Qualifying angels/funds get 20–50% income tax relief on shares, making it far easier to close an early-stage round.
Trading requirement
Any qualifying Irish SME, pre-trading through growth.
R&D Tax Credit
Spent money on qualifying R&D? Claim back 35% as a refundable tax credit — paid in cash even if you're pre-profit. Rate increased from 30% in Budget 2026.
Trading requirement
Any Irish company doing qualifying R&D.
Foras na Gaeilge Business Support Scheme
Funds Irish-language / bilingual branding, packaging, signage and marketing collateral. A natural fit for Gaeilge-first brands and rare direct support for cultural-language business investment.
Trading requirement
Active Irish SME integrating Irish-language branding.
JobsPlus Wage Subsidy
Hiring someone from the Live Register? The state pays you €7,500 or €10,000 (tax-free) over 2 years to make the hire. Stacks well with LEO Priming salary support.
Trading requirement
PAYE-registered employer hiring a qualifying candidate.
Energy Efficiency Grant
Actual cash towards the hardware — LED lighting, heat pumps, insulation, solar, EV charging, efficient equipment. 75% of eligible capex, up to €10,000.
Trading requirement
Trading SME with a completed energy audit or Green for Business report.
Market Discovery Fund
The serious export grant for EI clients. Funds trade fairs, in-market consultants, market research, trial shipments and overseas travel to break into new geographies.
Trading requirement
5+ years trading, 10+ global staff (≥5 in Ireland), €500k+ revenue, EBITDA positive. HPSUs are exempt from the 5-year rule.
KEEP — Key Employee Engagement Programme
Grant tax-efficient share options to key staff. No income tax, USC or PRSI on exercise — only CGT on eventual sale. Your cash lever to retain talent without big salary competition.
Trading requirement
Qualifying Irish SME in a non-excluded trade.
Don't see yourself above? 60 seconds, five questions.
We'll cross-reference your answers against sector exclusions, stage eligibility and priority mandates to return the grants most worth your time.
Important — please read
This page is informational only and reflects Cairn Studio's interpretation of publicly available 2026 grant information at the time of writing. It is not legal, financial or grant-advisory advice.
Grant programmes, amounts, eligibility criteria, match rates, sector restrictions and deadlines change frequently — sometimes without notice. Always verify current terms directly with the awarding body (LEO Wexford, Enterprise Ireland, Microfinance Ireland, Wexford County Council, the European Commission, EUIPO or the Intellectual Property Office of Ireland) before you incur any cost or submit an application.
The National Enterprise Hub (neh.gov.ie) is the authoritative source. Where this page and the Hub disagree, the Hub is correct.
Cairn Studio, its directors, employees and contractors accept no liability for any loss, cost, missed deadline, rejected application, clawback or damage — direct, indirect, consequential or otherwise — arising from reliance on information on this page. If you apply for a grant based on anything you read here and it turns out to be inaccurate, incomplete or out of date, that is your risk. You are responsible for your own due diligence and, where needed, engaging a qualified professional advisor.
Nothing on this page constitutes an offer of funding, a guarantee of eligibility, or a promise that any application will be successful.
Need help turning this into an application?
Cairn Studio works with Wexford founders on the parts most grant applications actually hinge on — business plans, cashflow forecasts, export positioning and digital transformation scopes.
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