Enterprise Ireland invested more than €28m in Irish start-ups and supported over 125 start-up companies last year.
Enterprise Ireland invested more than €28m in Irish start-ups and supported over 125 start-up companies last year.
Investment was provided to Irish companies and entrepreneurs last year in the form of equity through Competitive Start Fund (CSF) and High Potential Start-Up (HPSU) funding programmes by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, through Enterprise Ireland.
“Supporting companies on their growth journey means supporting local and national economies, as well as job creation for future generations”
The figures were revealed at the annual Enterprise Ireland Start-Up Showcase 2022 event at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin today (7 April) where 150 firms representing the ‘Class of 2021’ gathered alongside investors, mentors and other members of the broader Irish start-up ecosystem.
Supporting future generations
“Supporting companies on their growth journey means supporting local and national economies, as well as job creation for future generations,” said Enterprise Ireland CEO Leo Clancy.
“At Enterprise Ireland, our mission is to help accelerate the development of world-class Irish companies to achieve leading positions in global markets, and this means supporting Irish founders and their hard-working teams from the beginning.
“It is important that we recognise the perseverance and achievements of Enterprise Ireland’s ‘Class of 2021’. We are committed to supporting this drive and ambition, not just with funding, but also with strategic guidance and other development supports. I would like to congratulate the Class of 2021 and wish them all the best on their future endeavours.”
Start-ups supported by Enterprise Ireland last year includes:
- 82 HPSUs approved for over €18m in funding, and 24 of these were women-led
- Of these 82 HPSUs, 11 emerged from academic research
- Over €2m approved for 43 companies under the Competitive Start Fund, of which 16 are women-led
“Enterprise Ireland has been working closely with start-ups throughout the year to grow their businesses at every stage,” said Jennifer Melia, divisional manager, Technology & Services division, Enterprise Ireland.
“We work with entrepreneurs on their growth journey as they build world-class teams. This year we have seen extraordinary resilience and business potential from Irish-founded start-up teams. 2021 was a strong year for Ireland’s start-up economy. With a strong start-up economy, we are supporting and securing Ireland’s future.”
The performance was lauded by Taoiseach Micheál Martin, TD, who said: “As we emerge out of an incredibly challenging two-year period, it is important to recognise the extraordinary growth and accomplishments of our domestic startups in Ireland. I commend anyone across the country who has taken the leap and started a business. I have seen the enormous resilience of Irish start-ups and I admire the tenacity of every Irish entrepreneur leading Ireland towards a future where innovation is front and centre.”
Main image: Enterprise Ireland CEO Leo Clancy
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