The business world is always evolving, so planning ahead will prepare your business to perform at its best for years to come. Here are some of the most popular supports to help your business become more sustainable, innovate or transform digitally.
How can we help?
Secure your future
![Domestic Home Hero [Picture]_data](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
What are you interested in doing
Featured sustainability supports
In today’s world, consumers increasingly want to buy from businesses committed to sustainability. But making the shift can feel overwhelming – that’s where we come in.
Here are some of the most popular supports to help you take the first step to becoming more sustainable, reduce your environmental impact and save money.
Select filters
Select filters
Select type of Support
Select Business Size
Select Government Agency
Select Industry
44 supports based on your selections
Capital Funding Support
Develop a plan to increase international trade
This fund helps to boost digital capabilities, invest in advanced technologies and adopt automation, helping to increase productivity and competitiveness.
You may be eligible if:
- You’re an Enterprise Ireland client
- You employ at least 10 full-time people
- You are trading in manufacturing or an eligible services industry
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
Woodland Improvement Scheme
Offers financial support to forest owners for sustainable forest management
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in Ireland runs the Woodland Improvement Scheme (WIS) to provide financial support to forest owners for sustainable forest management practices. This helps meet the goals of both producing wood products and conserving the environment.
You may be eligible if:
You are an individual applicant or company
You must be the owner, leaseholder or joint manager of the land at the time of the application.
Support Scheme for Renewable Heat
Switch from fossil fuel to renewable heating
This scheme promotes the use of renewable sources for heating to reduce Ireland’s reliance on fossil fuels for a more energy-independent future.
For businesses that want to replace existing fossil fuel heating systems with renewable alternatives.
You might be eligible if:
- You are a business of any size, including agricultural, public sector bodies and non-profit organisations
- You comply with the specific requirements and regulations outlined by the SEAI
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
Sustainability Communication
Resources to help you communicate your food or drink business sustainability initiatives
These supports help food and drink marketing and commercial teams to communicate their sustainability activities to customers.
Food and drink businesses that want to improve their sustainability claims to strengthen their business relationships.
You may be eligible if:
- You are a Bord Bia client
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
Support Scheme for Energy Audits
Discover areas to improve energy efficiency within your business
This scheme provides vouchers to help businesses in Ireland assess their energy efficiency and identify areas for improvement.
Businesses that are looking for ways to save energy and reduce costs.
You might be eligible if:
- You are a small to medium business
- You spend at least €10,000 annually on energy (excluding transport costs) at the site being audited
- You are not obligated to conduct energy audits under the EU Energy Efficiency Directive
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
SME Energy Programme
Free training courses to improve energy efficiency
This programme helps businesses learn how to improve their energy management.
Businesses interested in reducing energy costs and becoming more sustainable.
You might be eligible if:
- You are a small to medium business
- You have an annual turnover of up to €50 million
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
Skills to Advance : Green Skills
FET Micro-Qualifications: Green Skills for Business
FET micro-qualifications help employees and employers boost their awareness of the key environmental sustainability issues and equip them with the skills to make a positive contribution to sustainability in the workplace
Employers who want to upskill their employees in environmental sustainability.
You may be eligible if:
- You are a small to medium size business
Skillnet Ireland
Become part of a team of private companies working together to address skill needs
Skillnet Ireland is the national talent development agency of Ireland offering upskilling programmes and business supports to companies of all sizes through 70 Skillnet Business Networks and National Initiatives.
You may be eligible if:
- You are private sector or commercial semi-state businesses that want to develop the skills needed to advance business competitiveness through national upskilling initiatives, or one or more of the 70 Skillnet Business Networks, which are clusters of private sector businesses that collaborate based on their sector, or region.
Skillnet Climate Ready Academy
Helping businesses become more sustainable
Skillnet Climate Ready Academy provides businesses with specialised skills training on Climate Action, Sustainability, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
You may be eligible if:
- You are a owner-manager or part of leadership teams of private-sector businesses across all industry sectors in Ireland.
Non-Domestic Microgen Scheme
Grants to purchase solar panels and use solar energy
This grant aims to make solar energy more accessible for a wide range of small to medium sized businesses, by reducing the initial investment required to purchase and install solar panels.
Businesses that want to install solar panels for self-consumption.
You might be eligible if:
- You are a small to medium sized business
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
Featured digitalisation supports
Go digital to make your business more efficient and flexible so you can respond quickly to opportunities and challenges.
Here are some of the most popular supports to help you on your digital transformation journey.
Select filters
Select filters
Select type of Support
Select Business Size
Select Government Agency
Select Industry
15 supports based on your selections
Think Digital
Create digital marketing strategies with expert guidance
This program helps food and drink businesses use digital tools, improve their online presence, and access tailored digital training for the food and drink industry.
Food and drink businesses that need support to develop a digital marketing strategy and learn how to use online channels effectively.
You may be eligible if:
- You are a Bord Bia client
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
Strategic Talent Development
Help leadership teams in multinational companies to build new talent within their organisation
The Strategic Talent Development Programme is a collaborative partnership between Skillnet Ireland and IDA Ireland designed to support leaders and leadership teams in multinational companies based in Ireland.
You may be eligible if:
- You are part of a leadership team in established foreign direct investment (FDI) companies in Ireland.
MentorsWork
Tailored support to help your business succeed
MentorsWork is a targeted business support programme focused on SMEs that provides training to owner-managers on how to increase and maintain their businesses competitiveness through strong leadership skills.
You may be eligible if:
- You are a private sector business based in Ireland with between 1 and 250 employees
Skillnet Ireland
Become part of a team of private companies working together to address skill needs
Skillnet Ireland is the national talent development agency of Ireland offering upskilling programmes and business supports to companies of all sizes through 70 Skillnet Business Networks and National Initiatives.
You may be eligible if:
- You are private sector or commercial semi-state businesses that want to develop the skills needed to advance business competitiveness through national upskilling initiatives, or one or more of the 70 Skillnet Business Networks, which are clusters of private sector businesses that collaborate based on their sector, or region.
IDA Ireland Online Self-Assessment Diagnostics
Assess your digitalisation and innovation levels
IDA Ireland offers online self-assessment diagnostics tools for client companies. These free, 20-minute assessments help businesses evaluate their current and future digitalisation and innovation maturity level.
You may be eligible if:
- You are a IDA Client company in the manufacturing sector that want to assess current and future maturity levels in advanced digital and sustainable technologies can use the Advanced Manufacturing Diagnostic (AMD).
- You are a IDA Client company in services interested in assessing current and future digitalisation level and pinpointing areas for improvement can benefit from the Digitalisation Diagnostic for Services (DDS).
- Any IDA Ireland client compay can use the Innovation Scorecard Diagnostic (ISD) to assess their overall current and target innovation maturity levels
IDA Ireland Business Development Programme
Develop your Site Strategic Plan
This programme provides consultancy support to help companies develop a strategic plan for the site that includes or specifically focuses on digitalisation, innovation, talent development and sustainability.
You may be eligible if you are:
- IDA client companies that need to build a strategic plan (including digital transformation) and value proposition for the Irish site.
Grow Digital Voucher
Financial support to embrace digital technology
Grow Digital Voucher offers financial support so your business can embrace digital technology
You may be eligible if:
- Established and trading for at least 6 months, registered, and operate within the area of the Local Enterprise Office
Grow Digital Portal
A Digital Toolkit for All Businesses
The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment's Grow Digital portal is a a digital toolkit for all businesses, to help them to embrace the opportunities that digital technologies and tools can offer.
You may be eligible if:
- You are at any stage of your digital journey, but especially for those who are just starting out. You can use the tool to assess where you are now, what you can do moving forward, and where you can go to get help.
Access Advice : Digital Discovery
Develop a digital plan and introduce new technologies
To be competitive in today’s market, businesses need to understand what digital technology can offer. This grant incentivises and supports companies to introduce new digital technologies and solutions into their operations. Leading to greater efficiency, improved customer experiences, better decision-making, and an enhanced ability to bring better and more diverse products to market
Companies looking to introduce new digital technologies to their business to boost efficiency, improve services and create a better customer experience.
You may be eligible if:
- You are an Enterprise Ireland (EI) client
- You are an Irish owned business operating in the manufacturing/internationally traded services sectors employing 10 or more.
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
Digital for Business
This is a free programme that helps small businesses explore the advantages that digitalisation offers.
This provides a business with an expert digital consultant, who will assist them in analysing the existing digital systems in the business, to identify potential gaps and explore the opportunities to optimise existing systems to meet their business needs
You may be eligible if:
- You are a small to medium business
- You employ up to 50 people
- You operate in the commercial sphere
- You have been operating for at least 6 months
- You are a solvent enterprise, as demonstrated by financial statements
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions
Featured innovation supports
Embracing innovation helps your business to grow and adapt to changing customer needs.
Here are some of the most popular supports to help you create a workplace that’s open to new ideas and ways to improve, to set you apart from the competition.
Select filters
Select filters
Select type of Support
Select Business Size
Select Government Agency
Select Industry
40 supports based on your selections
BI:TES - Concept Testing
Ensure your food or drink products appeal to customers and sell them more effectively
This tool tests and validates your food or drink ideas, provided in partnership with Bord Bia and an independent research agency, both in Ireland and internationally.
Food or drink businesses that want to improve their packaging and concept design.
You may be eligible if:
- You are a Bord Bia client
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
Taste 'n' Tell
Reduce the risks of innovation by evaluating your newest food or drink products
This tool evaluates and validates your food or drink product. It’s provided by a certified research agency–available in Ireland and internationally.
Food or drink businesses looking to test a product's concept and taste with target consumers.
You may be eligible if:
- You are a Bord Bia client
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
New Frontiers
Nationwide programme for ambitious startup founders with an innovative business idea
This is a national Incubation programme that offers successful applications a package of supports to help accelerate business growth and equip individual with the skills to start and grow their company.
You may be eligible if:
- You are new to business, have experience in a completely different industry, or haven’t yet successfully built or scaled a business.
- Want to leave full-time employment and grow their own business.
- Have an innovative business idea in a commercial market with export and employment potential.
- Have the drive and ambition required to commit fully to building a successful startup.
CAP Network Ireland
Support network for the CAP Strategic Plan
CAP Network Ireland supports agriculture in Ireland, specifically the implementation of the CAP Strategic Plan. Their work includes research, management, demonstrations, communications and supporting the development of innovative projects and businesses
You may be eligible if:
- Any business looking for information on supports that are available through the CAP Strategic Plan, particularly producer groups, producer organisations, co-ops or those looking to form EIP-AGRI operational groups.
Skillnet Innovation Exchange
Join an ecosystem of innovative companies to fast-track business solutions
Skillnet Innovation Exchange is a skills marketplace that connects large businesses facing innovation challenges to ambitious Irish SMEs with the talent that can fast-track solutions.
You may be eligible if:
- You are a scaling technology SME company that need an instant sales pipeline as well as access to key decision makers, market intelligence and the capability to sell to large corporates.
- You are a large company looking for access to Ireland’s most talented solutions providers and to collaborations that accelerate digital transformation.
IP Start - Udaras
Help and advice on intellectual property matters
Access Advice: IP Start supports companies to obtain external expert IP advisory and support services to address immediate IP issues. For example, prior-art research in support of an RD&I Technical Feasibility study, IP Audit, drafting and filing a patent, registering a trademark etc.
Businesses actively involved in research and development that need immediate help with intellectual property matters.
You may be eligible if:
- You are an existing Údarás na Gaeltachta client
- You are an Irish owned businesses operating in the manufacturing/internationally traded services sectors employing 10 or more.
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
Access Advice: IP Start
Help and advice on intellectual property matters
Access Advice: IP Start supports companies to obtain external expert IP advisory and support services to address immediate IP issues. For example, prior-art research in support of an RD&I Technical Feasibility study, IP Audit, drafting and filing a patent, registering a trademark etc.
Businesses actively involved in research and development that need immediate help with intellectual property matters.
You may be eligible if:
- You are an existing Enterprise Ireland, a Local Enterprise Office or Údarás na Gaeltachta client
- You are an Irish owned businesses operating in the manufacturing/internationally traded services sectors employing 10 or more.
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
IP Plus - Udaras
Get advice from an expert to develop an intellectual property strategy
This support can help your business get support to protect your valuable business intellectual property (IP) rights and develop an IP strategy. The strategy should be in line with the company’s Research, Development and Innovation plans.
Businesses that want advice and training to protect their valuable IP assets.
You may be eligible if:
- You’re an Údarás na Gaeltachta client
- You are a small to medium business
- Your business actively carries out research and development
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
IP Plus
Get advice from an expert to develop an intellectual property strategy
This support can help your business get support to protect your valuable business intellectual property (IP) rights and develop an IP strategy. The strategy should be in line with the company’s Research, Development and Innovation plans.
Businesses that want advice and training to protect their valuable IP assets.
You may be eligible if:
- You’re an Enterprise Ireland, a Local Enterprise Office or Údarás na Gaeltachta client
- You are a small to medium business
- Your business actively carries out research and development
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.
Innovation Vouchers
Discover new solutions to business challenges
Innovation is essential to keep your business competitive. Innovation vouchers help small businesses collaborate with higher education institutes and public research bodies to solve technical challenges and explore new opportunities.
Businesses seeking fresh thinking around a business challenge.
You might be eligible if:
- You are a small to medium business
- You employ up to 50 people
Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.