IMPACT REPORT 2017 MEASURING THE IMPACT OF LOCAL ENTERPRISE OFFICE SUPPORTS DURING 2017

Page created by Craig Jackson
 
CONTINUE READING
Impact Report 2017 1

IMPACT
REPORT
2017
MEASURING THE IMPACT OF LOCAL
ENTERPRISE OFFICE SUPPORTS DURING 2017
2 Impact Report 2017                                                                                                                       Impact Report 2017 01

MAKING AN IMPACT ON
LOCAL ENTERPRISE                                                        WELCOME

01      WELCOME MESSAGE                                                     This Government has a clear focus on regional jobs,
                                                                            investment and on helping companies prepare for
02      WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO                                           Brexit, and the LEOs play a crucial role in this effort.

                                                                            In a challenging business environment, LEO clients
03      HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2017                                                have contributed substantially to economic development
                                                                            throughout the country, especially outside of the
04      DELIVERING JOBS                                                     main urban centres.

05      SUPPORTING OUR CLIENTS                                              I want to pay tribute to the achievements of small
                                                                            businesses, microenterprises, and LEO teams, as they
                                                                            work together, in partnership with Enterprise Ireland
07      PROMOTING ENTREPRENEURSHIP
                                                                            and the Local Authorities, to develop local enterprise
                                                                            opportunities and create sustainable jobs.
09      BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE

11      COLLABORATING WITH STAKEHOLDERS                                     HEATHER HUMPHREYS T.D.

13      BREXIT SUPPORTS                                                     Minister for Business,
                                                                            Enterprise and Innovation
14      FUNDING

15      HOW TO CONTACT US

                                                                            As Minister for Small Business, I am fully committed to the
                                                                            creation of new jobs in every region across the country.

                                                                            I am a strong believer in doing everything we can at local
                                                                            and regional level to help us to create strong companies
                                                                            and good quality jobs all around the country.

                                                                            A home-grown enterprise culture is a perfect complement
                                                                            to attracting and growing larger businesses.

                                                                            The Local Enterprise Offices have a key role to play in both
                                                                            supporting jobs and in strengthening the potential for local
                                                                            businesses and entrepreneurs to create more jobs.

                                                                            I want to congratulate the LEOs, the LEO staff and all those
                                                                            that contribute to the LEO vision on another tremendous
                                                                            performance in 2017.

                                                                            PAT BREEN T.D.
Acknowledgements
The LEO Impact Report is published on behalf of Local Enterprise            Minister for Trade, Employment, Business,
Offices by Enterprise Ireland, with thanks to every Local Enterprise        EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection
Office client that is featured and pictured. Photography credits: Joe
Keogh Photography, Mark Stedman Photography, Photocall Ireland,
Martina Regan Photography and Jeff Harvey.                                                                                                       #localenterprise
02 Impact Report 2017                                                                                                                                             Impact Report 2017 03

WHO WE ARE                                                                                                          HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2017:
AND WHAT WE DO                                                                                                      A SNAPSHOT

Hubs of expert                          Established in 2014, the 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs)

advice, information
                                        are the ‘first stop shop’ for anyone seeking information
                                        and support on starting or growing a business in Ireland.
                                                                                                                                                            37,485
                                                                                                                                   3,760
                                                                                                                                                            people in Ireland
and practical                           LEOs are operated on a partnership basis by Enterprise
                                                                                                                                                            now employed by

                                                                                                                                                              7,182
                                                                                                                              new jobs (net) created by
supports –                              Ireland and the Local Authorities and their parent                                    LEO-supported companies
                                        Departments – the Department of Business, Enterprise
accessible locally                      and Innovation, and the Department of Housing,
                                                                                                                                                             LEO-supported
                                                                                                                                                               companies
                                        Planning and Local Government.

                                                                                                                                    €16M                         31
                                                                                                                                                               LEOs trained
                                                                                                                                  in direct financial
                                                                                                                               assistance approved for
                                                                                                                                                            30,373
                                                                                                                                   1,131
As ‘hubs’ of expert advice,             LEOs connect small businesses with their Local Authority,
information and practical supports,     with Enterprise Ireland, and with bodies that can help businesses.                                                 people to help them
                                                                                                                                                           start and grow their
dedicated Local Enterprise Office       These include:                                                                            business projects
                                                                                                                                                               businesses
teams help small businesses and
micro-enterprises to grow and           Education & Training Boards             Skillnets
create jobs through:                    Microfinance Ireland                    Credit Review Office
                                        Fáilte Ireland                          National Association of Community
                                                                                                                                                                367
Enterprise-focused training and
development programmes
                                        Enterprise Europe Network
                                                                                Enterprise Centres (NACEC)
                                                                                                                                   8,393
                                                                                                                                    mentoring             submitted applications
Business mentoring and advice clinics                                           Udarás na Gaeltachta
                                        Leader                                                                                      assignments              for Microfinance
Financial assistance and access to                                              Department of Communications,                        completed                 Ireland loans
                                        The Revenue Commissioners               Climate Action & Environment
microfinance loans
                                        Department of Social Protection
Sign-posting service with referral to
other bodies and state agencies
Networking with peers, potential
suppliers and prospective clients       To drive entrepreneurship and foster a more enterprising culture
                                        in Ireland, LEOs manage key flagship programmes locally and
                                        nationally throughout the year, such as:                                                  1,188                         289
                                                                                                                                                           companies approved
To find out more about how Local
                                                                                                                                companies awarded             for Technical
Enterprise Offices support small
                                        Local Enterprise Week                   Local Enterprise Village at the                Trading Online Vouchers     Assistance for Micro
businesses and micro-enterprises,                                                                                                                           Exporters’ grants
                                        (#localenterprise)                      National Ploughing Championships
please visit www.localenterprise.ie                                             (#localenterprise)
or follow @Loc_Enterprise on Twitter    Ireland’s Best Young
                                        Entrepreneur (#IBYE)                    Local Enterprise Showcase
                                                                                at Showcase (#localenterprise)
                                        National Women’s Enterprise
                                        Day (#NWED)                             Food Academy (#foodacademy)                        1,472
                                        National Enterprise Awards
                                        (#NEAwards)
                                                                                Student Enterprise Programme
                                                                                (#studententerprise)
                                                                                                                                competitors entered
                                                                                                                                   #IBYE, with                   80
                                                                                                                                                              LEO-supported
                                                                                                                                      185
                                                                                                                                young entrepreneurs
                                                                                                                                                          companies transferred
                                                                                                                                                           to Enterprise Ireland
                                                                                                                                 winning investment
                                                                                                                                      funding
04 Impact Report 2017                                                                                                                                                                                                  Impact Report 2017 05

DELIVERING                                                                                                    SUPPORTING
JOBS                                                                                                          OUR CLIENTS

The 2017 Annual Employment Survey                             As the LEO-by-LEO table below shows, at         Direct                                  Local Enterprise Offices can provide different types of grant
shows that 7,135 new jobs (gross)                             the end of 2017, there were 37,485 people                                               assistance to eligible businesses to help fund start-up costs,
and 3,760 jobs (net) were created by                          employed by 7,182 small businesses              Financial                               expansion plans, entry into new markets, and job growth.
LEO-backed client companies, with                             and start-ups that had received financial       Assistance                              These types of grants are known as ‘Measure 1’ supports.
jobs growth across every LEO area.                            assistance from the Local Enterprise Offices.
                                                                                                                                                      In 2017, Local Enterprise Offices approved €16,640,340.81
                                                                                                                                                      in grant aid for 1,131 applications under ‘Measure 1’,
                                                                                                                                                      broken down into the following types of grants:
LOCAL ENTERPRISE OFFICE                 2017 CLIENT           2017 GROSS             2017 NET
                                        ALL JOBS TOTAL        ALL JOB GAINS          ALL JOB GAINS
                                        (FT & PT)*            (FT & PT)*             (FT & PT)*

Carlow                                  1,128                 187                    95
Cavan                                   1,252                 207                    100
                                                                                                              MEASURE 1 SUPPORTS                               GRANT AID APPROVED                 How my LEO helped my business…
Clare                                   1,339                 251                    149
Cork City                               739                   128                    93                       Priming Grants                                   €6,431,905.90
                                                                                                              (299 approved applications in 2017)
Cork South                              1,487                 154                    102
Cork North & West                       1,098                 209                    114                      Business Expansion Grants                        €8,114,155.58
Donegal                                 1,193                 255                    100                      (358 approved applications in 2017)

Dublin City                             1,947                 445                    248
                                                                                                              Feasibility Study Grants                         €1,589,536.37
Dublin DLR                              1,561                 338                    167                      (185 approved applications in 2017)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         BRENDAN
Dublin Fingal                           970                   226                    162                                                                                                                                 MCEVOY
                                                                                                              Technical Assistance for Micro Exporters Grant   €504,742.96
Dublin South                            1,410                 351                    132                                                                                                                                 Founder
                                                                                                              (289 approved applications in 2017)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         My Name is Ted
Galway County/City                      1,039                 192                    95
Kerry                                   2,067                 267                    88                       TOTAL NUMBER OF APPROVED                         TOTAL AMOUNT OF GRANT-AID
                                                                                                              APPLICATIONS IN 2017: 1,131                      APPROVED IN 2017: €16,640,340.81    Brendan’s business benefitted from
Kildare                                 967                   282                    128                                                                                                           a Feasibility Study Grant, through
Kilkenny                                1,361                 232                    101                                                                                                           LEO Westmeath.
Laois                                   568                   93                     71
                                                                                                                                                                                                  “The Feasibility Study Grant from
Leitrim                                 454                   104                    39
                                                                                                                                                                                                   our Local Enterprise Office in
Limerick                                1,907                 279                    130
                                                                                                                                                                                                   Westmeath enabled us to research
Longford                                1,154                 177                    111
                                                                                                                                                                                                   the market opportunity for our
Louth                                   906                   200                    118                                                                                                           products, and supported the prototype
Mayo                                    1,224                 242                    182                                                                                                           process which has led to our first
Meath                                   1,112                 284                    162                                                                                                           collection of luxury tech bags and
Monaghan                                1,052                 207                    142                                                                                                           accessories, addressing a huge gap
Offaly                                  995                   193                    76                                                                                                            in today’s fast growing market.”
Roscommon                               794                   131                    77
Sligo                                   969                   152                    51
Tipperary                               1,595                 467                    262
Waterford                               1,620                 182                    121
Westmeath                               1,497                 300                    129
Wexford                                 1,348                 238                    143
Wicklow                                 732                   162                    72
TOTAL                                   37,485                7,135                  3,760

*FT stands for full-time and PT stands for part-time. The Annual Employment Survey was compiled                                                                                                                              #localenterprise
by the Centre of Excellence in Enterprise Ireland and was published in March 2018.
06 Impact Report 2017                                                                                                                                                                                         Impact Report 2017 07

                                                                                                            PROMOTING
                                                                                                            ENTREPRENEURSHIP

 How my LEO helped my business…                        TRAINING                                             Through national committees, Local Enterprise
                                                       Local Enterprise Offices provide a wide range of
                                                       high-quality training supports which are tailored
                                                                                                            Offices co-ordinate a series of enterprise programmes
                                                       to meet specific business requirements. In           and events nationally that promote entrepreneurship
                                                       2017, LEOs trained 30,373 participants across
                                                       1,891 different programmes. Of these, 3,755          across all sectors and regions. These include:
                                                       participants took part in 280 LEO-run
                         PAUL                          ‘Start Your Own Business’ programmes.
                         MERRIMAN
                         Founder
                         ClearChoice                                                                        LOCAL ENTERPRISE WEEK                                                        How my LEO helped my business…
                                                       MENTORING
 Paul’s business benefitted from mentoring,                                                                 LEOs collectively organised 300 enterprise events to mark Local
                                                       This programme matches the knowledge,                Enterprise Week in March 2017, to showcase the range of enterprise
 through LEO Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.
                                                       skills, insights and entrepreneurial capability of   supports on offer and to provide networking and training opportunities
“We found the mentoring service from our               experienced business practitioners - the mentor      to small businesses within their regions.
 Local Enterprise Office in Dún Laoghaire-             - with small business owners and managers who
 Rathdown to be invaluable in terms of                 need practical and strategic one-to-one advice
 learning about the potential pitfalls and the         and guidance for their business. In 2017, LEOs       LOCAL ENTERPRISE VILLAGE                                                                             DÓNAL
 must do’s and don’ts of establishing                  managed 8,393 mentoring assignments between                                                                                                               BYRNE
 a software company.                                   experienced mentors and client companies.            31 small businesses were supported by their Local Enterprise                                         Director
                                                                                                            Office to exhibit their products and services inside the Local Enterprise                            BigRedBarn
 This was not a core strength of ours in our                                                                Village at the National Ploughing Championships in Tullamore, Co. Offaly.
 early stage, and it was great to tie in our           LEAN FOR MICRO PROGRAMME                             The three day event in September 2017 attracted a record attendance,         Dónal’s business benefitted from a
 own industry expertise with an accessible                                                                  with 291,500 visitors*. LEO clients were also supported with specialist      Business Expansion Grant, through
 enterprise expert.”                                   Lean for Micro helps LEO clients to adopt ‘lean’     training and photography services, to enable them to maximise selling        LEO Mayo.
                                                       business principles within their businesses to       and marketing opportunities during the ploughing championships.
                                                       increase performance and competitiveness.                                                                                        “It was with the help of the Business
                                                       Companies also avail of consultancy services                                                                                       Expansion Grant from our Local
                                                       from a qualified practitioner, who works with the                                                                                  Enterprise Office in Mayo that we were
 LEO INNOVATION AND                                    company to introduce lean principles, undertake                                                                                    able to start to manufacture in-house.

 INVESTMENT FUND (LIIF)                                a specific cost reduction project, and assist the                                                                                 Before then, we had to outsource
                                                       company in benchmarking performance. In 2017,
 PILOT PROGRAMME                                       LEOs supported 179 companies through the
                                                                                                                                                                                         manufacturing. With their help, we
                                                                                                                                                                                         purchased the equipment and took
 The LEO Innovation Investment Fund (LIIF              programme.                                                                                                                        on a full-time fabricator.’’
 Programme) was launched as a pilot initiative in
 2017 to target investor-ready LEO clients that
 wanted to start, grow, or develop innovative          PATHWAYS
 micro-enterprises.
                                                       One of the key objectives of Local Enterprise
 470 applications were received and following          Offices is to accelerate the growth of businesses
 a shortlisting process, 135 applicants were           that will, in time, progress into the Enterprise
 invited to participate on a regional investor         Ireland portfolio. In 2017, LEOs supported the
 ready programme to help test and validate their       progression of 80 clients into Enterprise Ireland,
 proposition. At the end of the pilot, 63 LEO client   enabling these businesses to avail of further
 projects were approved for funding of €25,000         support services.
 each, to a total value of €1,575,000 (www.liif.ie).

                                                                                                            *Source: National Ploughing Association.                                                           www.localenterprise.ie
08 Impact Report 2017                                                                                                                                                                                      Impact Report 2017 09

                                                                                                             BUILDING FOR
                                                                                                             THE FUTURE

How my LEO helped my business…
                                                      pricing and financials, and marketing management.
                                                      It is estimated that the 329 Food Academy
                                                                                                             Building for the future, Local Enterprise Offices
                                                      suppliers to SuperValu support 1,275 full time and     support youth entrepreneurship through two national
                                                      561 part time jobs, based on data from the 2017
                                                      Annual Employment Survey.                              programmes, which support and nurture the next
                                                                                                             generation of business owners and leaders.
                        JOANNE
                                                      LOCAL ENTERPRISE
                        DAVEY                         SHOWCASE AT SHOWCASE
                        Founder                       Showcase, an initiative of the Design and Crafts
                        Absolute Nutrition
                                                      Council of Ireland which is promoted internationally
                                                                                                             STUDENT ENTERPRISE PROGRAMME                                             How my LEO helped my business…
 Joanne’s business benefitted from the                by Enterprise Ireland, is Ireland’s international      23,635 students from 483 secondary schools took part in
 Food Academy programme, through                      creative expo and takes place annually in the RDS      the 2016/2017 Student Enterprise Programme, which began
 LEO South Dublin.                                    To support the Irish craft and design sector, Local    in September 2016. The programme encourages students to
                                                      Enterprise Offices supported 112 companies to          research, set-up and run their own businesses with the help of
“Participating on the Food Academy                    exhibit within the ‘Local Enterprise Showcase’         student enterprise co-ordinators from the Local Enterprise Offices.
                                                                                                                                                                                                             CIARA
 programme with SuperValu, the Local                  in January 2017, to connect with national and                                                                                                          CLANCY
 Enterprise Offices and Bord Bia was a major          international trade buyers. The inaugural Local        The National Final for the 2016/2017 Student Enterprise Programme                               Beats Medical
 step in the right direction for us. We were          Enterprise Showcase awards were also presented         took place in May 2017 in Croke Park, involving 200 teenage                                     and IBYE
 opened up to a network of professional               in January 2017 to highlight excellence and            entrepreneurs from 77 student enterprises. These national                                       National Winner
                                                                                                             finalists won their places through Local Enterprise Office-run                                  2017
 mentors, workshops and financial advice,             innovation.
 as well as practical information about                                                                      finals in every county.
                                                                                                                                                                                       Ciara’s business benefitted from
 running a business, scaling a business                                                                      Teacher materials and resources are also distributed to schools,          the IBYE programme, through
 and opening new accounts.”                           NATIONAL ENTERPRISE AWARDS                             free of charge, by Local Enterprise Offices.
                                                                                                                                                                                       LEO Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.

                                                      To celebrate the achievements of Ireland’s             www.studententerprise.ie                                                 “I got so much support from the IBYE
                                                      micro-enterprises, 31 companies were shortlisted                                                                                  Programme; the advice, workshops,
                                                      by the Local Enterprise Offices for the National                                                                                  funding and, above all, benefitting
NATIONAL WOMEN’S                                      Enterprise Awards in 2017 after a series of            IRELAND’S BEST YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR                                          from a great network of like-minded
ENTERPRISE DAY                                        country-wide competitions. 12 winning companies        Aimed at 18 to 35 year-olds, Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE)
                                                                                                                                                                                       entrepreneurs. The programme helped
                                                                                                                                                                                       our business share its message with
                                                      shared a €40,000 prize fund at an awards               is a €2 million investment competition run by the network of Local
15 LEO-run regional events took place on National     ceremony in the Mansion House in May 2017.                                                                                       people diagnosed with Parkinson’s,
                                                                                                             Enterprise Offices. The competition is an initiative of the Department
Women’s Enterprise Day 2017 (October 12th)                                                                                                                                             and to scale up our research and
                                                                                                             of Business, Enterprise and Innovation and supported by Enterprise
with the theme of ‘open doors to new markets’, to                                                                                                                                      development to enhance our impact
                                                                                                             Ireland. There were 1,472 applications for IBYE in 2017 (for the 2018
encourage more female-led businesses to explore       TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS 2017                           competition) across three categories:
                                                                                                                                                                                        in the marketplace.”
export opportunities. 1,300 attendees took part in
NWED events which featured advice and insights        An initiative of the Department of Business,           Best Business Idea
from 60 successful female entrepreneurs.              Enterprise and Innovation, Local Enterprise Offices
                                                                                                             Best Start-Up Business
                                                      joined 29 other state bodies, agencies and service
                                                      providers at Taking Care of Business in November       Best Established Business
                                                      2017 in Dublin Castle. Close to 500 business
FOOD ACADEMY                                          owners, managers and entrepreneurs accessed            Through the county and city stages of the IBYE competition, 185 young
Food Academy is a training programme to support       information about enterprise supports                  entrepreneurs secured investments of between €3,000 and €15,000
and nurture early stage food businesses, and is run   at the event.                                          for each of their businesses in November and December 2016.
by the Local Enterprise Offices in partnership with
                                                                                                             The IBYE 2016/2017 National Final took place in March 2017 in
Bord Bia and SuperValu. Modules include market
                                                                                                             Google’s European Headquarters in Dublin with six winners sharing
and consumer understanding, product positioning
                                                                                                             a €100,000 investment fund.
and branding, food law and labelling requirements,                                                                                                                                                               #localenterprise
                                                                                                             www.ibye.ie
10 Impact Report 2017                                                                                                                                                                                                           Impact Report 2017 11

                                                                                                                              COLLABORATING
                                                                                                                              WITH STAKEHOLDERS

                                                                                4,259 APPLIED                                 Collaboration is key to enterprise success and
                                                                                                                              Local Enterprise Offices worked closely with many
                                                               1,350 BOOTCAMPS / MENTORING PLACES
                                                                                                                              stakeholders to roll out supports in 2017, including:
                                                                                   348
                                                                           RECEIVED INVESTMENT

                                                                                                                              MICROFINANCE IRELAND                                                        How my LEO helped my business…
                                                    INVESTMENT RECEIVED                               GENERATE €124M
                                                                                                      CURRENT ANNUAL          Microfinance Ireland (MFI), is a not-for-profit lender, established to
                                                                        €29M                             REVENUE              deliver the Government’s Microenterprise Loan Fund. It provides loans
                                                                                                                              of between €2,000 and €25,000 to commercially viable businesess
                                                                       15% Other
                                                                                                                              that employ fewer than ten people, with an annual turnover of less than
                                                                 19% Family & Friends                                                                                                                                             KIERON
                                                                                                                              €2 million. Local Enterprise Offices assist client companies with their
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  & CLAIRE
IMPACT OF IBYE FROM
                                                                      37% VC/Angel
                                                                                                                              MFI loan applications, which attract a discount on standard loan rates.
                                                  €5M
                                                                                                                              In 2017, LEOs assisted client companies with 367 applications for loans.                            MORAN
2014 TO 2016
                                                                       39% State
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Founders
                                                                                                                              www.microfinanceireland.ie/success-stories/
                                                   IBYE                 OTHER                                                                                                                                                     Moran’s Mega
Research was carried out by Set2Grow,                                                                                                                                                                                             Jam Ltd
commissioned by Enterprise Ireland,                THEIR TOP CHALLENGES
which highlighted the impact that Irish       1. GROWING SALES                                                                TRADING ONLINE VOUCHERS                                                     Kieron and Claire’s business benefitted
entrepreneurs have made in 2014, 2015                                                                                                                                                                     from the Trading Online Voucher
                                              2. B RINGING NEW PRODUCT TO MARKET
and 2016 through the IBYE programme.                                                                                          Designed to assist small businesses to trade more online under the          scheme, through LEO Cavan.
                                              3. BUILDING THE TEAM
                                                                                                                              National Digital Strategy, the Trading Online Voucher Scheme offers
Between 2014 and 2016, 4,259 young            4. RAISING INVESTMENT
                                                                                                      EMPLOY 2,217            training and advice, along with financial assistance of up to €2,500.      “The website gave us a new revenue
entrepreneurs applied for IBYE, of which      5. E
                                                  XPORTING TO A NEW COUNTRY
                                                                                                                              The scheme, which is funded by the Department of Communications,            stream. We are selling quite a bit online
1,350 received business bootcamp training                                                                                     Climate Action and Environment, and delivered by the Local Enterprise       and we have our more unusual products
and one-to-one mentoring.                                                   THEIR TOP 5 SECTORS                               Offices, is based on matched-funding, where the maximum amount              only available on line so customers are
                                                    18.1%                                                                     payable is €2,500 or 50% of the eligible cost (whichever is the lesser).    returning again and again.”
348 of those entrepreneurs won IBYE                                   17.7%
                                                                                                                              In 2017, 1,188 approvals were secured by Local Enterprise Offices
investment funding of between €3,000 and
                                                                                        9.4%                                  under the Trading Online Voucher scheme, supporting the creation
€50,000 from their Local Enterprise Office,
                                                                                                                              of 356 new jobs in 2017.
and they in turn now generate €124 million                                                             7.9%
in sales per year and employ 2,217 people.                                                                                    www.dccae.gov.ie/tradingonlinevoucher
                                                                                                                   7.6%
The total investment by Local Enterprise
Offices across the three years in the IBYE
programme was €5 million.

                                                       FOOD          SOFTWARE         TRADED      ENGINEERING     COMMS &
                                                                                     SERVICES                      DIGITAL

                                                                                EXPORT €30M

                                                  UK          64%       EUR        59%          USA    29%      OTHER   21%

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 www.localenterprise.ie
12 Impact Report 2017                                                                                                                                                                                       Impact Report 2017 13

                                                                                                          BREXIT SUPPORTS

                                                                                                          Working in partnership with Enterprise Ireland,
                                                                                                          Local Authorities, and other state agencies and bodies,
                                                                                                          Local Enterprise Offices offer a range of supports to
                                                                                                          help micro-enterprises and small buinesses prepare
                                                                                                          for the challenges posed by Brexit.

                                                                                                          In 2017, these supports and programmes were
                                                                                                                                                                                      How my LEO helped my business…
                                                                                                          focused on innovation, export market diversification,
                                                                                                          competitiveness, and information sharing as follows:

                                                                                                          LEO INNOVATION AND
                                                                                                          INVESTMENT FUND (LIIF)                                                                              JOANNE
                                                                                                          In the context of Brexit, the LEO Competitive Fund for Innovative                                   O’ REILLY
LEO COMPETITIVE FUND                                  CO-INNOVATE AND INTERREG                            Micro-Enterprises was a new scheme that incentivised LEO clients to                                 Founder
                                                                                                          engage in innovation to develop new product, processes or markets.                                  Kinvara Skincare
The objective of the LEO Competitive Fund was to      The Co-Innovate programme is a cross border         It targeted LEO clients to assist them in securing investment and scaling
strengthen microenterprise locally, regionally, and   research and innovation (R&I) initiative funded     their businesses in international markets.                                   Joanne’s business benefitted from
nationally to help create jobs and grow businesses.   under the European INTERREG VA Programme.                                                                                        the LEO Innovation and Investment
Through collaborating with other Local Enterprise     It brings together key development agencies         In 2017, 470 applications were received and 63 micro-enterprises             Fund, through LEO Galway.
Offices by region or cluster, LEOs were able to bid   to deliver a programme aligned with each            were approved for grant funding of €25,000 each. The overall
                                                      government’s strategic priorities.                  investment under LIIF was €1,575,000.                                       “Success is rooted in our drive to
for funding to support job creation initiatives in
                                                                                                                                                                                       invest in innovation in order to stay
their areas. In 2016, 16 projects to the value of
                                                      In the border region of Ireland, this support                                                                                    ahead of the competition and bring our
€1,913,600 were awarded on a competitive basis
through this fund and 10 of these projects were
                                                      will be delivered by the Local Enterprise Offices   TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS                                                  customers products which exceed their
                                                      in Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan                                                                                      expectations. Innovation funding from
completed by the end of 2017.
                                                      and Louth. In Northern Ireland, key elements        FOR MICRO EXPORTERS                                                          Galway Local Enterprise Office has been
                                                      of Co-Innovate will be delivered by Enterprise      Technical Assistance Grants for Micro Exporters (TAME) provided              instrumental in making this possible.”
                                                      NI and its member agencies.                         an incentive for LEO clients to explore and develop new market
                                                                                                          opportunities. These grants, with a maximum value of €2,500, are used
                                                                                                          to part-fund expenditure to investigate and research export markets.
                                                                                                          For example: costs incurred exhibiting at Trade Fairs, preparing
                                                                                                          marketing materials, and developing websites specifically targeting
                                                                                                          export markets. The purpose of these grants was to increase the number
                                                                                                          of LEO clients developing new export opportunities, with a focus on
                                                                                                          supporting those clients with high levels of exposure to Brexit risks.

                                                                                                          289 LEO clients were approved for assistance under TAME in 2017.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  #localenterprise
14 Impact Report 2017                                                                                                                                                                                      Impact Report 2017 15

                                                                                                       HOW TO
                                                                                                       CONTACT US

LEAN FOR MICRO                                    BREXIT SEMINARS                                      There are 31 Local Enterprise Offices                                        The national website for
                                                                                                                                                                                    the Local Enterprise Offices
The Lean for Micro offer was developed by
the Enterprise Ireland Lean Department
                                                  Local Enterprise Offices organised over
                                                  40 Brexit-themed information events in
                                                                                                       all around the country and in every                                          is www.localenterprise.ie
in collaboration with the Local Enterprise        2017 for both existing and potential clients.        Local Authority area with dedicated                                          and the Twitter account is
                                                                                                                                                                                    @Loc_Enterprise.
Offices, tailoring the existing programme to
micro-enterprises. Pilot programmes were
                                                  These sessions enabled small businesses,
                                                  start-ups and micro-enterprises to learn about       teams on hand to help.
carried out in Donegal and Galway in 2015         the potential impacts and opportunities posed
and in 2016; and 20 LEOs were involved in         by Brexit, and to engage in a process of strategic
the programme with 53 LEO clients engaging        planning to ensure their companies had a robust
in projects.                                      strategy in place. Local Enterprise Offices also
                                                                                                       CARLOW                            CORK CITY                                  DONEGAL
                                                  encouraged clients to take part in the Brexit
In 2017, €800,000 was allocated to Local                                                               Local Enterprise Office Carlow,   Local Enterprise Office Cork City,         Local Enterprise Office Donegal,
                                                  SME Scorecard online and to participate in
Enterprise Offices, funding the participation                                                          Enterprise House, O’Brien Road,   Room 101, City Hall Building,              The Enterprise Fund Business Centre,
                                                  the Enterprise Ireland Brexit Roadshow,
of 179 LEO client companies in the programme.                                                          Co. Carlow.                       Anglesea Street, Cork.                     Ballyraine, Letterkenny, Co.Donegal.
                                                  which included a series of regional events.
                                                                                                       E: enterprise@carlowcoco.ie       E: info@leo.corkcity.ie                    E: info@leo.donegalcoco.ie
                                                                                                       Tel: 059 9129783/5                Tel: 021 496 1828                          Tel: 074 916 0735
                                                                                                       Web: localenterprise.ie/carlow    Web: localenterprise.ie/corkcity           Web: localenterprise.ie/donegal
                                                                                                       Twitter: @carlowleo               Twitter: @leocorkcity                      Twitter: @DonegalLeo
                                                                                                       Facebook: Search LEOCarlow        Facebook: Search LEOCorkCity               Facebook: Search DonegalEnterprise

                                                                                                       CAVAN                             SOUTH CORK                                 DUBLIN CITY
                                                                                                       Local Enterprise Office Cavan,    Local Enterprise Office South Cork,        Local Enterprise Office Dublin City,
                                                                                                       Cavan Innovation & Technology     Business Growth Hub, Cork County           Civic Offices, Block 4, Floor 1,
FUNDING                                A total of €32,931,000 in funding was                           Centre, Dublin Road, Co. Cavan.   Council, County Hall, Cork.                Wood Quay, Dublin 8.

                                       allocated to the Local Enterprise Offices                       E: localenterprise@cavancoco.ie
                                                                                                       Tel: 049 437 7200
                                                                                                                                         E: southcork@leo.corkcoco.ie
                                                                                                                                         Tel: 021 428 5200
                                                                                                                                                                                    E: info@leo.dublincity.ie
                                                                                                                                                                                    Tel: 01 222 5611
                                       in 2017. This funding was provided by the                       Web: localenterprise.ie/cavan     Web: localenterprise.ie/southcork          Web: localenterprise.ie/dublincity
                                       Department of Business, Enterprise and                          Twitter: @leocavan
                                                                                                       Facebook: Search
                                                                                                                                         Twitter: @LeoSouthCork
                                                                                                                                         Facebook: Search LEOSouthCork
                                                                                                                                                                                    Twitter: @LEODublinCity / Facebook:
                                                                                                                                                                                    Search LocalEnterpriseOfficeDublinCity
                                       Innovation, through Enterprise Ireland.                         LocalenterpriseCavan
                                                                                                                                         CORK NORTH & WEST                          SOUTH DUBLIN
                                                                                                       CLARE                             Local Enterprise Office                    Local Enterprise Office South Dublin,
                                                                                                       Local Enterprise Office Clare,    Cork North and West.                       County Hall, Tallaght, Dublin 24.
                                                                                                       Aras an Chontae, New Road,        Cork West: 8 Kent Street,                  E: info@leo.sdublincoco.ie
                                                                                                       Ennis, Co. Clare.                 Clonakilty, Co. Cork.                      Tel: 01 414 9000
                                                                                                       E: localenterprise@clarecoco.ie   Cork North: Ground Floor,                  Web: localenterprise.ie/southdublin
                                                                                                       Tel: 065 682 1616                 Blackwater House, Mallow Business          Twitter: @LEOSouthDublin
                                                                                                       Web: localenterprise.ie/clare     Park, Mallow, Co. Cork.                    Facebook: Search LEO South Dublin
                                                                                                       Twitter: @LeoCountyClare          E: westcork@leo.corkcoco.ie
                                                                                                       Facebook: Search LEOCountyClare   Tel: 023 883 4700 (Cork West)
                                                                                                                                         E: northcork@leo.corkcoco.ie
                                                                                                                                         Tel: 022 43235 (Cork North)
                                                                                                                                         Web: localenterprise.ie/corknorthandwest
                                                                                                                                         Twitter: @LEOCorkNW /Facebook:
                                                                                                                                         Search localenterprisecorknorthandwest                            www.localenterprise.ie
16 Impact Report 2017                                                                                                                                                                                                       Impact Report 2017 17

DUBLIN – DLR                            KILDARE                                LIMERICK                               MEATH                                 SLIGO                                      WESTMEATH
Local Enterprise Office Dún Laoghaire   Local Enterprise Office Kildare,       Local Enterprise Office Limerick,      Local Enterprise Office Meath,        Local Enterprise Office Sligo,             Local Enterprise Office Westmeath
-Rathdown, County Hall, Marine Road     Áras Cill Dara, Devoy Park, Naas,      7/8 Patrick Street, Limerick City.     Buvinda House, Dublin Road,           City Hall, Quay St, Co. Sligo.             Áras an Chontae, Mount Street,
Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.              Co. Kildare.                           E: localenterprise@limerick.ie         Navan, Co. Meath.                     E: localenterprise@sligococo.ie            Mullingar, Co. Westmeath.
E: contact@leo.dlrcoco.ie               E: localenterprise@kildarecoco.ie      Tel: 061 557499                        E: localenterprise@meathcoco.ie       Tel: 071 911 4417 / 071 911 4408           E: localenterprise@westmeathcoco.ie
Tel: 01 204 7083                        Tel: 045 980838                        Web: localenterprise.ie/limerick       Tel: 046 909 7000                     Web: localenterprise.ie/sligo              Tel: 044 933 8945
Web: localenterprise.ie/dlr             Web: localenterprise.ie/kildare        Twitter: @leo_limerick                 Web: localenterprise.ie/meath         Twitter: @LEOSligo                         Web: localenterprise.ie/westmeath
Twitter: @leo_dlr                       Twitter: @leo_kildare                  Facebook: Search LimerickLEO           Twitter: @MeathLEO                    Facebook: Search LocalEnterpriseSligo      Twitter: @WestmeathLEO
Facebook: Search                        Facebook: Search LEOKildare                                                   Facebook: Search                                                                 Facebook: Search LEOWestmeath
LEODunLaoghaireRathdown                                                        LONGFORD                               LocalEnterpriseOfficeMeath            TIPPERARY
                                        KILKENNY                               Local Enterprise Office Longford,                                            Local Enterprise Office Tipperary          WEXFORD
DUBLIN – FINGAL                         Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny,      Áras an Chontae, Great Water Street,   MONAGHAN                              Nenagh: Civic Offices, Limerick Road,      Local Enterprise Office Wexford,
Local Enterprise Office Fingal,         42 Parliament Street, Co. Kilkenny.    Co. Longford.                          Local Enterprise Office Monaghan,     Nenagh, Co. Tipperary.                     Wexford County Council, Carricklawn,
First Floor, County Hall, Swords,       E: info@leo.kilkennycoco.ie            E: info@leo.longfordcoco.ie            Unit 9, MTEK Building, Knockaconny,   Clonmel: Civic Offices, Cahir Road,        Wexford.
Co Dublin.                              Tel: 056 775 2662                      Tel: 043 334 3346                      Monaghan.                             Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.                    E: info@leo.wexfordcoco.ie
E: info@leo.fingal.ie                   Web: localenterprise.ie/kilkenny       Web: localenterprise.ie/longford       E: info@leo.monaghancoco.ie           E: leo@tipperarycoco.ie                    Tel: 053 919 6020
Tel: 01 890 0800                        Twitter: @LEOKilkenny                  Twitter: @LeoLongford                  Tel: 047 71818                        Tel: 0761 06 5000 (Nenagh)                 Web: localenterprise.ie/wexford
Web: localenterprise.ie/fingal          Facebook: Search                       Facebook: Search Local-Enterprise-     Web: localenterprise.ie/monaghan      Tel: 0761 06 6200 (Clonmel)                Twitter: @LEOWexford
Twitter: @LEOFingal                     LocalEnterpriseOfficeKilkenny          Office-Longford                        Twitter: @MonaghanLEO                 Web: localenterprise.ie/tipperary          Facebook: Search
Facebook: Search LEOFingal                                                                                            Facebook: Search                      Twitter: @LEOTipperary                     LocalEnterpriseOfficeWexford
                                        LAOIS                                  LOUTH                                  LocalEnterpriseMonaghan               Facebook: Search
GALWAY                                  Local Enterprise Office Laois,         Local Enterprise Office Louth,
                                                                                                                                                            LocalEnterpriseOfficeTipperary             WICKLOW
Local Enterprise Office Galway,         Business Support Unit, County Hall,    Town Hall, Crowe St., Dundalk,         OFFALY                                                                           Local Enterprise Office Wicklow,
First Floor, County Buildings,          Portlaoise, Co. Laois.                 Co. Louth.                             Local Enterprise Office Offaly,       WATERFORD                                  Wicklow County Campus, Clermont
Prospect Hill, Galway City.             E: localenterprise@laoiscoco.ie        E: info@leo.louthcoco.ie               Offaly County Council,                Local Enterprise Office Waterford          House, Rathnew, Co. Wicklow.
E: info@leo.galwaycoco.ie               Tel: 057 866 1800                      Tel: 1890 202 303                      Áras an Chontae, Charleville Road,                                               E: enterprise@leo.wicklowcoco.ie
                                                                                                                                                            Waterford City:
Tel: 091 509 090                        Web: localenterprise.ie/laois          Web: localenterprise.ie/louth          Tullamore, Co. Offaly.                                                           Tel: 0404 30800
                                                                                                                                                            32 The Mall, Waterford City.
Web: localenterprise.ie/galway          Twitter: @LEOLaois                     Twitter: @LEOLouth                     E: info@leo.offalycoco.ie             Dungarvan:                                 Web: localenterprise.ie/wicklow
Twitter: @GalEnterprise                 Facebook: Search LEOLaois              Facebook: Search LEOLouth              Tel: 057 935 7480                     Civic Offices, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford.   Twitter: @LEOWicklow
Facebook: Search LEOGalway                                                                                            Web: localenterprise.ie/offaly                                                   Facebook: Search
                                                                                                                      Twitter: @LEOOffaly                   E: info@leo.waterfordcouncil.ie            LocalEnterpriseWicklow
                                        LEITRIM                                MAYO                                                                         Tel: 0761 10 2905
KERRY                                                                                                                 Facebook: Search LEOOffaly
                                        Local Enterprise Office Leitrim,       Local Enterprise Office Mayo,                                                (Waterford City and Dungarvan)
Local Enterprise Office Kerry,          Aras an Chontae, Carrick on Shannon,   Cedar House - Second Floor, Moneen,                                          Web: localenterprise.ie/waterford
County Buildings, Rathass, Tralee,      Co. Leitrim.                           Castlebar, Co. Mayo.                   ROSCOMMON                             Twitter: @LEOWaterford
Co. Kerry.                              E: info@leo.leitrimcoco.ie             E: info@leo.mayococo.ie                Local Enterprise Office Roscommon,    Facebook: Search WaterfordLEO
E: LEO@kerrycoco.ie                     Tel: 071 965 0420                      Tel: 094 904 7555                      Roscommon County Council,
Tel: 066 718 3522                       Web: localenterprise.ie/leitrim        Web: localenterprise.ie/mayo           Áras an Chontae, Co. Roscommon.
Web: localenterprise.ie/kerry           Twitter: @LEOLeitrim                   Twitter: @leomhaigheo                  E: localenterprise@roscommoncoco.ie
Twitter: @LEOCountyKerry                Facebook: Search LEOLeitrim            Facebook: Search                       Tel: 090 662 6263
Facebook: Search LEOCountyKerry                                                LocalEnterpriseOfficeMayo              Web: localenterprise.ie/roscommon
                                                                                                                      Twitter: @LEORoscommon
                                                                                                                      Facebook: Search
                                                                                                                      LocalEnterpriseOfficeRoscommon
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  #localenterprise
18 Impact Report 2017

TO CONTACT YOUR LOCAL ENTERPRISE OFFICE,
PLEASE VISIT: WWW.LOCALENTERPRISE.IE
You can also read