Digital Grants in Ireland: The Complete List for 2026
On this page
- LEO grants: the core list
- Trading Online Voucher
- Priming Grant (start-ups, trading under 18 months)
- Business Expansion Grant (trading over 18 months)
- Feasibility Grant
- Digital for Business and Grow Digital
- Green for Business and the Energy Efficiency Grant
- Market Explorer Grant and GradStart
- Microfinance Ireland loans
- Enterprise Ireland supports
- How to choose
- Making grants work with digital projects
Irish SMEs leave grant money on the table every year, usually because nobody has shown them the list in one place. The LEO SME Online Guide tracks over 170 government supports for start-ups and small businesses; this guide is the shortlist that matters for digital work, with the amounts verified against the Local Enterprise Office’s own published rules.
LEO grants: the core list
Trading Online Voucher
Up to EUR 2,500 at 50% co-funding, for businesses with up to 10 employees, to develop your website and digital marketing, with training and advice included. This is the workhorse for digital projects, covered in depth in our Trading Online Voucher guide.
Priming Grant (start-ups, trading under 18 months)
The maximum payable is 50% of the investment or EUR 150,000, whichever is less, with up to EUR 15,000 per full-time job created. Aimed at new businesses with growth and job-creation plans.
Business Expansion Grant (trading over 18 months)
The growth-phase equivalent with the same caps: 50% of the investment or EUR 150,000, up to EUR 15,000 per full-time job. Businesses that received a Priming Grant are generally ineligible until 18 months after its final drawdown.
Feasibility Grant
Funds research into whether an idea has real market demand before you commit to building it, including innovation scoping.
Digital for Business and Grow Digital
LEO digitalisation supports that sit alongside the Trading Online Voucher, covering advice, diagnostics, and digital adoption. Amounts and formats vary by LEO, so confirm with your local office.
Green for Business and the Energy Efficiency Grant
Sustainability supports that increasingly overlap with digital projects: sensors, monitoring, and efficiency software are often in scope.
Market Explorer Grant and GradStart
The Market Explorer Grant supports research into new export markets, and GradStart subsidises graduate hires. Both are listed among LEO financial supports.
Microfinance Ireland loans
For businesses that need working capital rather than a grant, LEOs refer to Microfinance Ireland business loans.
Enterprise Ireland supports
Enterprise Ireland (EI) is the step after LEO: companies with export ambition. Its October 2026 launches show the current direction: the Startup Ireland AI Accelerator Programme, announced at the International AI Summit on 14 October 2026 as the first specialist accelerator of its kind, and the EUR 26 million Shared Island Sustainability Challenge Fund, opened for applications on 12 October 2026. EI also runs the well-established Feasibility and High Potential Start-Up supports for scaling companies.
How to choose
- Starting out and going digital? Trading Online Voucher plus a LEO chat.
- New business with jobs planned? Priming Grant.
- Trading two years and expanding? Business Expansion Grant plus Digital for Business.
- Export ambitions? Talk to Enterprise Ireland.
- Not sure? The LEO SME Online Guide covers the full 170 plus, and your LEO’s first conversation is free.
Making grants work with digital projects
Two practical notes. First, grants are reimbursements: you pay your supplier, then claim. Second, the claim is only as clean as the quote: work with suppliers who understand grant rules, as we do for Trading Online Voucher projects. If you are planning digital work and want to know which grant fits, book a call and we will map the project to the support.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best grant for a new Irish website?
The Trading Online Voucher: up to EUR 2,500 at 50% co-funding through your Local Enterprise Office, for businesses with up to 10 employees. It covers website and digital marketing spend.
What is the Priming Grant?
A LEO start-up grant for businesses trading less than 18 months. The maximum is 50% of the investment or EUR 150,000, whichever is less, with up to EUR 15,000 per full-time job created.
What grants exist for established businesses?
The Business Expansion Grant, for businesses trading more than 18 months, with the same caps: 50% of investment or EUR 150,000, up to EUR 15,000 per full-time job. Plus LEO digital and green supports.
How many government supports are there for Irish SMEs?
The LEO SME Online Guide lists over 170 government supports for start-ups and small businesses. Most Irish SMEs use a small handful, matched to their stage.
What about Enterprise Ireland?
Enterprise Ireland supports companies with export ambition, from feasibility research through to scaling, and in October 2026 launched the Startup Ireland AI Accelerator Programme, the first specialist accelerator of its kind.
Where do I start with grant applications?
Call your Local Enterprise Office. One conversation covers eligibility for most of what is in this guide, and LEO staff will point you at the supports that fit your stage.