Enterprise Ireland's live start-up supports: Pre-Seed Start Fund, New Frontiers, Innovation Vouchers. What each pays, who qualifies, and if it can pay an outside team.

Source: https://easifytechnologies.com/enterprise-ireland-funding-for-startups/

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Enterprise Ireland Funding for Startups Building an MVP

20 October 2026 11 min read

For an early-stage founder in Ireland, Enterprise Ireland's live start-up supports are the Pre-Seed Start Fund (a €50,000 or €100,000 convertible loan, continuously open), New Frontiers (a founder programme with a €15,000 tax-free stipend in its six-month Phase 2), and Innovation Vouchers (€10,000 of work with a university or public research body). Of these, only the Pre-Seed Start Fund can realistically pay for an MVP build, and Enterprise Ireland's own FAQ says it can pay overseas contractors. The Competitive Start Fund, which many guides still describe, has no current call that we could find.

This page covers what each scheme pays, who qualifies, the process, and whether the money can pay an outside or foreign development team. Most founders who are not yet Enterprise Ireland clients start with their Local Enterprise Office; see LEO grants for MVP development. For the picture across Europe, see the MVP grants and funding hub and EU funding for startups.

This is orientation, not financial or legal advice.

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At a glance

Scheme

Run by

Who is eligible

What it funds

Amount or rate

Type

How and when to apply

Official page

Pre-Seed Start Fund (PSSF)

Enterprise Ireland

Manufacturing or internationally traded services; company under 4 years old; revenue and prior equity each no more than €150,000; registered and located in Ireland

Salaries, travel, consultancy and other costs of reaching technical, commercial and fundraising milestones

€50,000 or €100,000

Equity (convertible loan note), with €5,000 new co-investment per €50,000

Online, continuously open; video pitch within 48 hours

enterprise-ireland.com

New Frontiers

Enterprise Ireland, delivered by Technological Universities and Institutes of Technology at 18 locations

Founders new to business with an innovative, scalable idea; based in and running the business from Ireland

Programme support, mentoring, workshops; Phase 2 stipend

Phase 2: €15,000 tax-free stipend; package valued at over €40,000

Stipend and support, no equity

Register interest via newfrontiers.ie; intake dates on its calendar

enterprise-ireland.com

Innovation Voucher

Enterprise Ireland

SMEs: limited companies registered in Ireland with a CRO number

Time with a registered, publicly funded knowledge provider on an innovation question

€10,000 standard; co-funded up to €20,000 (you pay 50%)

Voucher

Online, all year; response normally within four weeks

enterprise-ireland.com

HPSU Feasibility Study Grant

Enterprise Ireland

Existing Enterprise Ireland clients that are high potential start-ups

Export market research, technical research and prototyping, business and financial plan

70% of eligible costs or €30,000

Grant

Through your Enterprise Ireland Client Advisor

enterprise-ireland.com

Excluded: the Competitive Start Fund

The Competitive Start Fund (CSF) was Enterprise Ireland's earlier early-stage fund. Its old page on enterprise-ireland.com now returns "not found", it is not in Enterprise Ireland's list of start-up or funding supports, and the Pre-Seed Start Fund rules refer to "former Competitive Start Fund (CSF) investee companies", who may apply to PSSF for up to €50,000. Secondary sources, such as this founder's blog, describe the PSSF as its replacement. We found no open CSF call on 20 October 2026, so we do not present it as a live option.

Pre-Seed Start Fund

The Pre-Seed Start Fund supports "early-stage companies in reaching the key technical and commercial milestones required to attract future seed funding."

Who it is for. Enterprise Ireland says: "Ideally the startup would have a Minimal Viable Product (MVP) or be live in Beta and have early demonstrable customer validation." It also looks for a validated proposition, a clear execution plan, evidence of innovation and international potential, and a balanced team.

Eligibility. All of the following, among others:

• a manufacturing or eligible internationally traded services business;
• no more than €150,000 of equity received before applying, counting shares, convertible notes and directors' loans;
• revenue of no more than €150,000 in the current or any previous financial year;
• for an existing company, less than four years since incorporation in Ireland;
• the potential to reach 10 jobs in Ireland and €1 million of sales within three years;
• a small enterprise under the EU SME definition;
• founders eligible to live and work in Ireland, and resident in Ireland before investment completes;
• "registered and located in Ireland with the majority of the management team residing in Ireland and key business functions managed from Ireland";
• not in receipt of other state funding when accepting the PSSF offer.

Sole traders cannot be approved, though individuals in the process of incorporating a company in Ireland can apply, according to the PSSF FAQ. Former CSF or €50,000 PSSF companies may apply for €50,000 only.

What it pays. "A €50k or €100k investment in the form of convertible loan note instrument", plus a Client Advisor, 10 mentoring sessions and access to Enterprise Ireland's Market Research Centre. A €100,000 investment is released in two €50,000 tranches; the second follows a progress review against agreed milestones and must complete within 12 months of the first, according to the PSSF equity FAQ.

Eligible costs. The page lists "salaries, travel, and consultancy fees" and other expenditure towards "the development of a market ready solution, product testing in market, building critical skill sets on startup team." Sales and marketing (direct export aid) is not eligible, and legal fees are capped at €10,000. Your cost plan must show spending of at least the amount you ask for.

Match funding. For each €50,000 tranche you need at least €5,000 of new cash as equity or quasi-equity (shares, SAFE, convertible note or a subordinated director's loan), invested after the application date. It cannot come from another public programme, ordinary loans do not count, and converting existing director loans does not count.

Process and timelines. Register on Enterprise Ireland's online system and apply; the fund "is continuously open for applications" with no closing date. Within 48 hours of the confirmation email you must reply with a four-minute video pitch recorded in PowerPoint. Recommended applications go to Enterprise Ireland's approvals committee, then a term sheet and legal agreement; the offer is valid for eight weeks, and the FAQ expects legals to complete within eight weeks and first payment a few weeks after. You can apply at most three times in 12 months. The Irish Business Innovation Centres run free monthly application workshops; the next listed are on 19 November and 9 December 2026.

Common reasons applications fail. The official pages name these:

• revenue or prior equity above €150,000;
• a company more than four years old;
• a sector that is not manufacturing or internationally traded services;
• having already run a similar business through a majority-owned company;
• founders or management not resident in Ireland;
• co-investment made before the application date, which does not count as new cash;
• still being in receipt of other state funding for the same proposal.

New Frontiers

New Frontiers is "the nationwide programme for ambitious startup founders with an innovative business idea that has the potential to scale and provide employment", delivered by Technological Universities and Institutes of Technology across 18 locations.

• Who it is for. Founders who are new to business, come from a different industry, or have not yet built or scaled a business, and who have an innovative idea with export and employment potential. The New Frontiers eligibility page says you must be based in, and intend to run your business in, Ireland, and that you do not need to register the business before taking part.
• Phases. Phase 1 is part-time evening sessions or a weekend bootcamp to test the market. Phase 2 is "a full-time six-month intensive commitment and includes a tax-free stipend of €15,000 for eligible participants", with places offered after competitive selection. Phase 3 is follow-on support, with "additional financial support" for eligible participants.
• Value. Enterprise Ireland describes "a support package valued at over €40,000 (without giving away any equity)", including mentoring, workshops, investor readiness and access to the host institute's R&D facilities.
• Combining supports. The eligibility page says you can apply for or hold "ONLY ONE" of a list of public supports at any time, including the New Frontiers allowance, the PSSF and a LEO Feasibility Grant. A feasibility grant being drawn down must be drawn down in full, or the balance given up, before you join Phase 2. LEO Priming or Business Expansion grants, and private funding, can also affect your place or allowance, and the allowance is not paid to anyone who has already received more than €100,000 in funding. Only one co-founder can take part. Read the page before you apply for anything else.
• When to apply. Through newfrontiers.ie; deadlines are on its calendar.

Innovation Vouchers

Innovation Vouchers connect SMEs with "Ireland and Northern Ireland's publicly funded Knowledge Providers (i.e. higher education institutes, public research bodies)".

• What it pays. "€10,000 worth of time with an expert, third-level researcher." A co-funded voucher covers projects of up to €20,000, with the company paying 50% in cash. Vouchers exclude VAT, which the company pays the knowledge provider.
• Eligibility. SMEs (fewer than 250 staff, turnover up to €50 million or balance sheet up to €43 million) that are "limited companies registered in Ireland with a CRO number". At most four vouchers over five years (three standard, one co-funded), and one active at a time.
• Process. Apply online at any time; for a standard voucher "a response may normally be expected within four weeks", and you do not need to choose the knowledge provider first. Vouchers are valid for 18 months.
• What it excludes. Among others: "software purchases and software development", "standard website development and online optimisation", "standard mobile applications development", marketing, business plans and general consultancy.
• Why applications fail. "If potential solutions to the knowledge question already exist in the marketplace, then Enterprise Ireland is likely to reject the application."

An Innovation Voucher can fund a research question behind your product, such as testing an algorithm or a material with a university, but not the build.

HPSU Feasibility Study Grant

For existing Enterprise Ireland clients that are high potential start-ups (HPSUs) preparing to raise investment, the HPSU Feasibility Study Grant pays up to "70% of eligible expenditures or €30,000" towards export market research, "technical research, prototyping" and the business plan. The detailed eligibility, application and claim rules sit behind the Enterprise Ireland client login, so we cannot summarise them; your Client Advisor has them. If you are not yet a client, this is not your first step.

Can this money pay an outside development team, or one in another country?

Pre-Seed Start Fund: yes, according to the official FAQ. "Consultancy fees" are an eligible cost, and the PSSF FAQ answers the question directly: "Yes, the company can engage overseas contractors as part of the development process. The requirement for business activities to be within Ireland generally refers to the core operations and management of the company. It does not restrict the company from collaborating with contractors or partners based outside of Ireland." The company itself must be registered, located, managed and controlled in Ireland.

New Frontiers: not a supplier budget. The Phase 2 money is a tax-free stipend for the participant, and the rest of the package is programme support. The official guidance does not describe a budget for paying outside developers; ask the New Frontiers programme manager at your host institute before you plan around it.

Innovation Vouchers: no. The voucher can only be redeemed with registered, publicly funded knowledge providers in Ireland and, through Enterprise Ireland's arrangement with Invest Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland. Software development and standard website and app development are excluded in any case. A private agency, Irish or foreign, cannot be paid with it.

HPSU Feasibility Study Grant. The public page does not say whether external or overseas suppliers are eligible. The official guidance does not say; ask your Enterprise Ireland Client Advisor before you commit.

What this means for Easify. We invoice in euros from our registered entity in India, so we would be an overseas contractor. On the PSSF FAQ's wording, that is allowed. Even so, your cost plan is assessed by Enterprise Ireland, so name the supplier and its country in the application, and ask the PSSF team (pssf@enterprise-ireland.com, as the FAQ gives it) if you are unsure.

How to plan your MVP budget around it

1. Get the order right. The PSSF ideally wants an MVP or beta already, so many founders build a first version with their own money, a LEO Feasibility Grant or during New Frontiers, then apply to PSSF to reach a market-ready product. You cannot hold state funding for the same proposal when you accept PSSF, so draw down or decline earlier support first.
2. Time the co-investment. The €5,000 per tranche only counts if it is invested after your application date.
3. Put the build in the cost plan. The plan must show spending at least equal to the investment you ask for, and consultancy fees are where an outside build usually sits.
4. Write the scope down. A written scope and a fixed price help many applications that ask for quotes or a project plan, and give the milestone review something concrete to measure. Our €900 MVP Scoping Sprint produces the question the MVP answers, the smallest feature set, what is left out, the main flows, the technical and hosting plan, and a fixed price and timeline. That is general advice: Enterprise Ireland does not require or accept our document in particular.
5. Allow for the calendar. Legals take up to eight weeks after the offer, with first payment a few weeks later. Do not commit to a build that needs the PSSF money before it arrives.
6. Keep spending records. The second tranche needs a report on how the first was spent.

Where Easify fits

One of our clients in Ireland is using Local Enterprise Office support towards the MVP we are building with them now.

We build MVPs for founders across Europe, typically €4,000 to €25,000 over four to twelve weeks. The people you talk to are in Budapest and engineering is in India; client products are hosted in the EU. Invoices are in euros from our registered entity in India. For the PSSF, Enterprise Ireland's FAQ says overseas contractors are allowed; for LEO grants, some offices' supplier rules may exclude us, which our LEO page explains. If you start with the Scoping Sprint, the €900 is credited in full against the build if you build with us.

Scheme details checked against official sources on 20 October 2026. Schemes change; confirm with the programme before applying.

From Budapest, for teams in Ireland

Preparing for the Pre-Seed Start Fund and need the MVP built first?

We are a Budapest team that builds MVPs for founders across Europe, typically €4,000 to €25,000 over four to twelve weeks, invoiced in euros from our registered entity in India and hosted in the EU. Send us what you want to test, who it is for and your deadline, or ask for the €900 MVP Scoping Sprint, and we reply within one business day.

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On this page

• At a glance
• Excluded: the Competitive Start Fund
• Pre-Seed Start Fund
• New Frontiers
• Innovation Vouchers
• HPSU Feasibility Study Grant
• Can this money pay an outside development team, or one in another country?
• How to plan your MVP budget around it
• Where Easify fits

Frequently asked

Is the Competitive Start Fund still open?

We found no open Competitive Start Fund call. Enterprise Ireland's website no longer has a page for it, and the Pre-Seed Start Fund rules refer to former CSF investee companies. The Pre-Seed Start Fund is the early-stage fund that is open now.

How much is the Pre-Seed Start Fund?

€50,000 or €100,000, invested as a convertible loan note. A €100,000 investment comes in two tranches of €50,000. For each €50,000 you must raise at least €5,000 of new cash equity or quasi-equity, invested after you apply and not from a public source.

Do I need an MVP before applying to the Pre-Seed Start Fund?

Not strictly, but Enterprise Ireland says that ideally the startup would have a minimal viable product or be live in beta, with early customer validation. The fund then pays towards a market-ready solution, testing and the team.

Can Pre-Seed Start Fund money pay a development team outside Ireland?

Yes, according to Enterprise Ireland's PSSF FAQ: the company can engage overseas contractors as part of the development process. The company itself must be registered and located in Ireland, with most of its management team resident there and key functions managed from Ireland.

Can an Innovation Voucher pay for app or software development?

No. Innovation Vouchers are redeemed with registered, publicly funded knowledge providers such as universities, and the rules exclude software purchases and software development, standard website development and standard mobile app development.

What does New Frontiers pay?

Phase 2 is a full-time, six-month programme with a tax-free stipend of €15,000 for eligible participants. Enterprise Ireland values the whole support package at over €40,000 and takes no equity. Phase 3 offers additional financial support for eligible participants.

Can I combine the Pre-Seed Start Fund with a LEO grant?

Not at the same time for the same business plan. Enterprise Ireland's PSSF equity FAQ says you cannot be in receipt of state funding for the proposal when you accept, so any LEO funding or New Frontiers stipend for it must be fully drawn down or declined first.

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