Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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260. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she will provide a breakdown by NUTS3 region and county with regard to Enterprise Ireland client companies (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21304/17]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Enterprise Ireland’s (EI) start-up activity is focused on prospecting for and supporting High Potential Start-Ups (HPSUs). HPSU companies are defined as start-up ventures that are:

- Introducing a new or innovative product or service to international markets.

- Involved in manufacturing or internationally traded services.

- Capable of creating 10 jobs in Ireland and realising €1 million in sales within three to four years of starting up.

- Led by an experienced management team.

- Headquartered and controlled in Ireland.

- Less than six years old.

Table 1 provides an overview of each of the HPSU Class 2010 – 2016 by NUT3 Region and county.

Start-up companies that have a well-developed business plan and need to raise investment for their business can apply to EI for equity support under the Competitive Start Fund. This is a €50k equity investment designed to accelerate the development of high potential start-up companies by supporting them to achieve commercial and technical milestones such as evaluating international market opportunities or building a prototype.

Table 2 provides an overview of Competitive Start Funds approved by NUT3 Region and County.

EI’s company R&D supports are designed to provide support for research, development and technological innovation relevant at all stages of company development, and which will enable companies to progress from undertaking an initial research project to higher level innovation and R&D activities.

Table 3 provides an overview of companies that engage in substantial research and development projects of above €1 million spend per annum by NUTS Region and county.

Table 4 provides an overview of companies that engage in substantial research (spend of more than €100,000 for more per annum) and development projects.

EI assists client companies to build the leadership and management capabilities that are required to scale and succeed in international markets. This support is delivered in the form of short management programmes (e.g. Excel at Growth) and long-term management programmes (e.g. Leadership for Growth).

Table 5 provides an overview of companies participating on short and long term management development programmes by NUT3 Regions and by county.

In relation to Seed and Venture Capital Schemes, the Government, through Enterprise Ireland, has made €175m available as part of the Seed & Venture Capital Scheme (2013 – 2018). The following investments have been made by Enterprise Ireland under these Schemes across the period 2012–2016:

- 2012: €25.7m

- 2013: €21.1m

- 2014: €18.8m

- 2015: €21.1m

- 2016: €25.1m

Enterprise Ireland invests in VC funds through the Seed and Venture Capital Schemes. These funds then invest a minimum of double Enterprise Ireland commitments in Irish companies most which are EI clients. The fund managers make investment decisions independent of Enterprise Ireland. The regional breakdown of these investments is made available on an annual basis on the publication of the Seed and Venture Capital Report. The report for the period 2016 will be available in July 2017.

It is important to highlight that Enterprise Ireland’s Strategy 2017 – 2020 is focused on addressing the need for Irish enterprise to build scale and expand reach by driving Innovation, Competitiveness, Diversification and Ambition. EI has a range of financial and non-financial supports, which are not detailed above, that are available to clients to assist in the implementation of this strategy. In addition, Enterprise Ireland is working with companies throughout the country to assist in addressing the challenges in a post Brexit marketplace.

Table 1: Overview of each of the HPSU Classes 2010 – 2016 by NUT3 Region and County

HPSU Class of 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015

Table 2: Overview of Competitive Start Funds approved by NUT3 Region and County

Approved Competitive Start Funds by NUTS 3 and County

Table 3: Overview of companies that engage in substantial research and development projects of above €1 million spend per annum by NUTS Region and County

R&D spend of over €1m per annum

Table 4: Overview of companies that engage in substantial research and development projects (spend of more than €100,000 for more per annum) by NUT3 Regions and County

R&D Spend Greater than €100k per annum

Table 5: Overview of companies participating on short and long term management development programmes by NUT3 Region and County

Companies participating on short and long term management development programmes by NUT3 Region and County