It was announced today that over 1,500 jobs will be created over the next three years by 105 High Potential Start-Up (HPSUs) companies supported by Enterprise Ireland in 2015.
HPSUs are start-up businesses with the potential to develop an innovative product or service for sale on international markets and the potential to create 10 jobs and €1m in sales within three to four years of starting up.
Last year was a record year for Enterprise Ireland supported new start-up companies with the highest number of funding approvals with a total direct Enterprise Ireland investment commitment of €31m in start-ups.
New research, presented at the annual Enterprise Ireland Start-Up Investor Day, indicated that nine out of ten start-ups surveyed by Amárach Research on behalf of Enterprise Ireland plan to increase staff in 2016. Six in ten expect substantial growth this year with the main export markets being the UK, Europe and USA.
While one in five respondents to the research were female, almost half (47%) felt that it was getting easier for women to start and grow a business – with the balance seeing no change. Up to 2011, female-led enterprises accounted for just 7% of new start-ups. Participation by female entrepreneurs in the Enterprise Ireland High Potential Start-Up programme increased to 22% in 2015.
Speaking at the Investor Day, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton said, "I am delighted that there is a strong regional representation with 47% of the high potential start-ups being from outside Dublin.
""Furthermore, I am encouraged to see more young entrepreneurs– over 10% of the founders of the Class of 2015 are under 30. All of the start-ups involved today are the new ambitious promoters that will go on to become part of the growing number of internationally trading Irish companies that each year are increasing Irish exports and creating new Irish jobs – some I am confident will ultimately develop into the large employer Irish multinationals of the future."
Source: www.businessworld.ie
