More than 6,500 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have received direct support from the all-of-Government National Enterprise Hub (NEH) in its first year of operation.
Over the past 12 months, the most popular grants, ranging from €3,000 to €7,000, have helped businesses manage cashflow, expand operations, boost productivity, and address challenges linked to rising costs and competitiveness.
Since its launch, the NEH has attracted more than 220,000 active online users and offers a full-time dedicated phone line, giving business owners direct access to specialist advisors who can guide them through available grant options.
An initiative of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Enterprise Ireland, the NEH brings together information on over 250 Government supports from 30 different Departments and State Agencies. Looking ahead, the Hub plans to further streamline and simplify the grant application process for SMEs.
While businesses supported span multiple sectors, the majority operate within tourism & hospitality, retail & consumer products, food, health & beauty, professional services, and construction.
This free service ensures companies can more easily access a wide range of supports, from grants and funding to loans and expert advice, helping Irish SMEs thrive in a competitive business environment
Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, said “With over 6,500 companies engaging in its first 12 months, the National Enterprise Hub has proven effective in streamlining and simplifying access for SMEs to government supports, equipping them with vital digital and sustainability resources to navigate rising costs and stay competitive.
Research from my Department shows that four in five businesses believe sustainability is important. An awareness campaign is currently underway showcasing how the NEH can support businesses in cutting costs through grants such as the LEO’s Energy Efficiency Grant and SEAI’s Business Energy Upgrade Scheme.
My focus now with the NEH is on reducing administrative burdens and red tape for businesses by consolidating multiple grant applications into a single, simplified process. We must redouble our efforts to simplify processes for businesses and make sure that we think about small businesses first. I look forward to its continued growth and positive impact on Irish SMEs.”
Conor O’Donovan, Head of Start-Ups and the National Enterprise Hub, said: “SME engagement with the National Enterprise Hub has met and exceeded our targets to date, supporting 6,500 businesses within our first year of operation. One of the main aims of the Hub was to engage with businesses who haven’t availed of government supports to date and to make the process of availing of government supports faster and easier.”
“We know that Irish SMEs are operating in a complex environment and being able to access grants and supports is more important than ever. Small businesses who are engaging with the National Enterprise Hub are concerned about rising cost of business and competitiveness – that is why a single source of government supports for businesses is important to ensure that accessing the right information is made easier.
The National Enterprise Hub has a team of dedicated advisors who are directing SMEs to the right support that will help them. It’s for every business in the country and we’d encourage every business to go online to neh.gov.ie or pick up the phone and start the conversation around your business needs today.”
Audrey Hughes, CEO of Principle HR said: “Like so many Irish SMEs, we are focused on providing the highest quality of service delivery to our customers, while remaining competitive. Accessing government supports to assist can feel daunting but the National Enterprise Hub made the process so much easier by putting us in contact with the right agency whose support and expertise fitted our needs. Through our initial engagement with the National Enterprise Hub, Principle HR is now an Enterprise Ireland client and in a short period of time our business has been helped through the strategic marketing review support and engagement with their overseas market advisors. With the business environment constantly changing, I’d encourage all SMEs no matter what stage they are on their growth journey to contact the NEH today to learn about what supports could be available to them.”
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