By Héloïse Chaudot 
Startup Ireland aims to help more Irish companies scale internationally and become acquirers rather than acquisition targets, as the government seeks to strengthen the country’s startup ecosystem.
Managed by Enterprise Ireland, the initiative aims to support 1,000 new startups by 2030 and increase by 20 per cent the number of startups reaching €1 million in turnover. It also seeks to bring 10,000 early-stage entrepreneurs into the system through programmes delivered nationally and across the regions.
The initiative is built around three pillars: improving the startup ecosystem, accelerating startup and scaleup creation, and connecting Irish founders with international markets, customers, investors and opportunities.
Kevin Sherry, executive director at Enterprise Ireland, commented, “This is about having a solid platform to bring their success to the next level. Ultimately, we want to see more companies being the acquirer as opposed to the acquired.”
Support for startups
A national accelerator programme will replace the existing National Digital Research Centre (NDRC).
A €30 million tender for the successor programme was launched at the end of May, with bids still under evaluation, according to Conor O’Donovan, head of Startup Ireland. The existing NDRC programme, operated by a Dogpatch Labs-led consortium, is due to end in November.
The new accelerator programme will include a funded company accelerator offering €100,000 to participants, alongside a talent programme for experienced professionals at the pre-company or pre-idea stage.
Other measures include expanded regional coverage, stipends for professionals looking to move into entrepreneurship, and sector-specific programmes covering areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, fintech and deep tech.
First programme to launch
The first programme under Startup Ireland will be an AI accelerator managed by Dogpatch Labs.
The 12-week programme will initially select ten companies. More than 30 partners are involved, including OpenAI and Anthropic.
The initiative forms part of Startup Ireland’s broader effort to support founders developing businesses in emerging technology sectors and help them access commercial opportunities.
“With AI, we’re seeing more founders with prototypes coming to us earlier than in the past, when they might have just had a business plan previously. That’s why we wanted to go with AI first, because it’s a really good opportunity to develop and design a programme that responds to the changing needs of Irish entrepreneurs,” Conor O’Donovan, head of Startup Ireland, said.
International expansion
Startup Ireland also plans to strengthen links between Irish founders and international markets, investors and customers.
Proposals include establishing soft-landing zones in key markets to help companies expand overseas, as well as developing a mentor network drawing on Enterprise Ireland’s international presence.
The initiative’s broader ambition is to help Irish startups progress into internationally competitive businesses and increase their contribution to the domestic economy.
