SOWING THE SEEDS OF INTERNATIONAL GROWTH
Success is a very strange beast which appears in different forms for all individuals whether business owners or not. For business owners in Ireland, often the first port of call is to establish some small measure of success on home turf, before seeking to grow the business elsewhere. In the years following the financial crisis we have seen a mass exodus of people leaving our country, visas in hand to find their fortunes elsewhere. It would appear that this has slowed considerably in recent times so today we are going to focus on the other side of the coin, managing to grow your Irish business internationally while remaining on home ground.
Recent reports have suggested that since Ireland’s financial recovery has started to pick up some form of speed, many of those who have travelled to Australia or elsewhere and found success there have returned to Ireland in order to utilise their newfound skills and level of success. The Enterprise Ireland office in Sydney is said to be working with more than 150 Irish companies, whilst a vast number of Australian companies are now expanding operations in Ireland. Similarly, Irish recruitment agency CPL created a pop-up office in Melbourne in which it interviewed Irish professionals for positions back in Ireland.
So what options exist for growing your Irish business internationally whether you are making your return or have stayed put?
The Enterprise Ireland Internationalisation Grant gives Irish businesses the opportunity to grow in international markets. This grant focuses solely on supporting the costs of undertaking new market research which is a valuable asset in growing your business in new areas and the research must focus on an area not already being covered by your business. There are a number of eligibility criteria available through the Enterprise Ireland website including that the business must be based in the Republic of Ireland and employ more than 10 people. There is also an available option for much larger companies. The maximum grant available here is €35,000, which would certainly garner valuable information for growing your company. This grant is open to applications all year round.
For smaller companies and SMEs, the Enterprise Europe Network is an invaluable resource which will assist in gaining new contacts and support networks beyond the door of your own business. This is a support network for SMEs and other companies with international ambitions assisting in gaining contacts and providing much needed information about funding available. This is also an important resource when looking to grow your business internationally as it provides valuable information on EU regulations which will ensure that your business is following all appropriate protocol.
The Enterprise Europe Network also provide an access to EU funding programme for SMEs to assist in this process as well as giving Irish companies the opportunity to give feedback on EU legislation. This is a resource we would urge all Irish SMEs whether dreaming big or small to engage with.
If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact us here at DCA Accountants, where we will be happy to assist and advise in any way possible.
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~ DCA PARTNERS, DECLAN DOLAN & EAMONN GARVEY
