Start-up business loans in Ireland: where to go for help

Most lenders decide whether to lend by looking at a company’s track record: filed accounts, bank statements, profits and repayment history on the Central Credit RegisterA database operated by the Central Bank of Ireland holding information on loans of €500 or more.. A start-up has none of these yet, so the lender is relying on a business plan and the founder’s own finances. That is why mainstream and non-bank lenders often set a minimum trading period. Examples from lenders’ own websites include six months’ trading for some card-sales funding, one year for some supplier financeAn arrangement set up by a large buyer in which a funder pays the buyer’s suppliers early, at a discount, and the buyer repays the funder on the normal due date. and two years for some term loans.

Public lenders and agencies fill this gap. They can take a longer view, and they often add mentoring and training to the money.

There are 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) in local authorities across the country. The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment describes them as a first-stop shop for advice on starting or developing a business. They offer:

• Advice from a business adviser on your idea, structure and next steps.
• Start Your Own Business courses. LEO Dublin City’s programme, for example, covers business planning, sales and marketing, employment law, finance, tax and writing a business plan, with three hours of one-to-one mentoring.
• Mentoring through the LEO mentor panel.
• Feasibility/Innovation Grant: to research market demand or develop a prototype, at 50% of costs (60% in the Border, Midlands and West region), up to €15,000.
• Priming Grant: for micro-enterprises within the first 18 months of start-up, up to 50% of eligible costs, capped at €80,000, or up to €150,000 for projects that show potential to graduate to Enterprise Ireland.
• Help applying to Microfinance Ireland, with a lower interest rate if you apply through the LEO.

LEO grants are aimed mainly at manufacturing and internationally traded services businesses with up to 10 employees. Retail, personal services, professional services, construction and local services are generally not eligible for the main grants, but anyone can use LEO advice and training. Our Local Enterprise Office grants guide covers each grant in detail.

Microfinance Ireland (MFI) is a not-for-profit lender for micro-enterprises: businesses with fewer than 10 employees and annual turnover under €2 million. Sole traders, partnerships and limited companies can all apply, including start-ups. Its loan packages page, checked on 22 October 2026, lists:

• Start-Up Loan: €5,000 to €50,000 over up to three years, for new businesses, with interest-only repayments for the first three months and up to five free mentoring sessions.
• Small Loan: €2,000 to €5,000 over up to three years, for start-up or established businesses, with simpler paperwork.
• Interest rate: 6.5%, or 5.5% if you apply through your Local Enterprise Office, with no fees.
• No asset security, but for limited companies and DACsA type of Irish private company under Part 16 of the Companies Act 2014 that keeps an objects clause in its constitution, limiting what it can do, and uses the suffix DAC., directors or other key people sign an indemnity, which is reported to the Central Credit Register.

MFI says it can only lend to businesses having difficulty getting loans from the banks, and may ask for evidence that you looked for funding elsewhere. Our comparison of Microfinance Ireland and non-bank loans explains when each fits.

Enterprise Ireland works with start-ups that aim to export and scale internationally, often called high-potential start-ups (HPSUs). Its funding supports page, checked on 22 October 2026, lists for start-ups:

• HPSU Feasibility Study Grant: to help test and develop a business plan.
• New Frontiers: Enterprise Ireland’s national entrepreneur development programme.

Banks do lend to new businesses, usually smaller amounts and often with a personal guaranteeA legally binding promise by a director or other individual to repay a company's debt if the company cannot. or the founder’s own money alongside. Talk to your bank early, bring a business plan with cash flow projections, and be ready to show your own contribution. Examples on 22 October 2026:

• AIB’s Business Start-up Current Account is for businesses trading less than three years and waives account maintenance and transaction fees (excluding cash handling fees) for the first two years. The page also points to AIB’s general business loans and overdrafts.
• Bank of Ireland offers business loans from €1,000 to €120,000 and overdrafts from €1,000. Its loans page does not list a start-up-specific loan, so ask about its criteria for new businesses.

Many credit unions lend to local businesses and self-employed members. Decisions are made locally and can take account of your history as a member. Expect to provide accounts or projections, a business plan for larger requests, confirmation of your tax position and bank statements. Claremorris Credit Union, for example, asks for a business plan for requests over €25,000.

If you are getting a jobseeker’s payment and want to become self-employed, the Department of Social Protection (DSP) has two schemes. Both need written approval before you start trading.

• Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA): generally for people getting Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Allowance, or certain other payments, for at least nine months (234 days). You keep 100% of your payment in year one and 75% in year two. Citizens Information says you must not start self-employment until you have written approval from the DSP.
• Short-Term Enterprise Allowance (STEA): for people getting or entitled to Jobseeker’s Benefit. It is paid instead of Jobseeker’s Benefit for up to nine months, ending when the underlying entitlement ends.
• Enterprise Support Grant: available to people approved for BTWEA or STEA to help with set-up costs. Citizens Information gives a total of up to €2,500 in any 24-month period for BTWEA, with a 10% matching contribution, and gov.ie gives a pro-rata maximum of €1,000 for a nine-month STEA.

Talk to your Intreo centre or Employment Personal Adviser before you do anything else, because starting to trade early can affect your eligibility.

1. Contact your LEO and book a meeting with a business adviser.
2. Take a Start Your Own Business course if you have not run a business before.
3. Write a business plan with 12 to 36 months of cash flow projections.
4. Decide on your structure. A limited company registered with the CROThe State body that registers Irish companies and business names and keeps their public filings, including constitutions, director details, annual returns, financial statements and registered charges. is separate from you; a sole trader is not.
5. Register for tax with Revenue and keep your affairs up to date so you can get tax clearance later.
6. Work out how much of your own money you can put in. Most lenders and grants expect a contribution.
7. Apply for the support that fits: MFI or your bank for a loan, LEO for a grant, Enterprise Ireland if you are export-focused, DSP if you are leaving a jobseeker’s payment.
8. Open a separate business bank account from day one, so your trading record is clear.

Yes. Start-ups registered as limited companies in Ireland can apply, but more lenders will consider a company once it has a trading history. There is no single rule. Lenders typically look for somewhere between six and 24 months of trading, depending on the product. On their own websites, for example, 365 Finance asks for over six months’ trading, Treyd for at least a year of financial performance, and Linked Finance lends to companies with turnover over €100,000. Each lender decides for itself, and nothing here is a promise that your company will qualify.

Either way, keep good records. Clean bank statements, accounts filed on time with the CRO, tax clearance and a clear record on the Central Credit Register all make your first commercial application stronger. Our guide to business loan requirements in Ireland explains what lenders will look for.

Whoever you approach, the quality of your plan matters more than anything else at this stage. LEOs, Microfinance Ireland and banks will all want to see that you understand your market and your numbers. A good plan covers what you sell and to whom, why customers will buy from you, your experience, how you will reach customers, your costs and prices, and monthly cash flow projections showing when the money comes in and goes out. Be realistic about how long it will take to win customers and get paid. Show how much of your own money you are putting in and what you need the funding for, item by item. Your LEO adviser or mentor can review a draft before you apply.

Start-ups registered as limited companies in Ireland can apply. Most lenders look for some trading history, so options may be fewer for a new company. Your Local Enterprise Office, Microfinance Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and your bank are also good places to look. When your limited company needs an unsecured or short-term loan, working capital, a merchant cash advance, revenue-based finance, stock finance or trade finance, we will be glad to hear from you. Welcome Finance is a commercial finance broker, not a lender, and is not regulated by the Central Bank of IrelandIreland's financial regulator and part of the Eurosystem.. We work only with companies registered in Ireland (LTDThe most common type of Irish company under the Companies Act 2014, using the suffix LTD or Teoranta., DAC, PLCA company type under Part 17 of the Companies Act 2014. or ULC). We are paid commission by lenders and do not charge your company a fee. We never ask for payment upfront.