I propose to take Questions Nos. 583 to 586, inclusive, together.
Enterprise Ireland (EI), an agency of my Department, manages a range of programmes that provide support to new and growing companies. These programmes include New Frontiers, High Potential Start Ups, Pre-Seed Start Fund (formerly Competitive Start Fund) and Venture Capital (VC) support.
While EI compiles data on these programmes, the information requested in these questions is not in line with the manner in which the data is recorded – for example data on mixed founders is not readily available, nor are the details on the number of applications for all programmes. In addition, data on the number of approaches to venture fund managers is not available, as companies would typically approach multiple VC funds, both formally and informally.
Information has therefore been supplied in the tables below based on the data currently recorded by EI.
I would also note that the NDRC Accelerator and the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) do not fall under the remit of my Department and therefore data on these funding programmes cannot be provided.
I have broken down the request of these PQs across the various programmes on which information was sought. In relation to female founded companies, it is noted that EI count funding for female-led companies as those that hold a shareholding of 25% of greater in a company.
1 Venture Capital Investments
Of the EI allocation of €185 million to funds since 2017, 70% of the capital has been allocated to fund management teams with female decision makers.
Between 2017-2022, 337 Irish companies have been supported by EI supported venture funds at a value of €670 million, of these 53 (at a value of €122 million) were female founded/led businesses.
Over the period 2017-2022 there were a total of 1,110 investment rounds into Irish companies (including multiple into individual companies), of these 224 were to female founded/lead businesses.
2
New Frontiers Programme Phases 2-3
|
Female
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
|
No. of Successful Applicants P2
|
47
|
46
|
60
|
60
|
41
|
58
|
|
Euro Value
|
€705,000
|
€690,000
|
€900,000
|
€900,000
|
€615,000
|
€870,000
|
|
No. of Successful Applicants P3
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
0
|
13
|
11
|
3
|
|
Euro Value
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
0
|
€97,500
|
€82,500
|
€22,500
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Male
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
|
No. of Successful Applicants P2
|
122
|
126
|
108
|
99
|
117
|
98
|
|
Euro Value
|
€1,830,000
|
€1,890,000
|
€1,620,000
|
€1,485,000
|
€1,755,000
|
€1,470,000
|
|
No. of Successful Applicants P3
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
2
|
25
|
17
|
5
|
|
Euro Value
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
€15,000
|
€187,500
|
€127,500
|
€37,500
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
|
No. of Successful Applicants P2
|
169
|
172
|
168
|
159
|
158
|
156
|
|
Euro Value
|
€2,535,000
|
€2,580,000
|
€2,520,000
|
€2,385,000
|
€2,370,000
|
€2,340,000
|
|
No. of Successful Applicants P3
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
2
|
38
|
28
|
8
|
|
Euro Value
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
€15,000
|
€285,000
|
€210,000
|
€60,000
|
3 High Potential Start Up (HPSU) programme
|
Female
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
|
No. of Successful Applicants
|
25
|
18
|
19
|
19
|
24
|
34
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Male
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
|
No. of Successful Applicants
|
65
|
64
|
72
|
61
|
58
|
57
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Combined
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
|
No. of Successful Applicants
|
90
|
82
|
91
|
80
|
82
|
91
|
|
Euro Value
|
€21,774,055
|
€20,956,256
|
€21,382,304
|
€19,311,900
|
€18,823,000
|
€22,263,000
|
4 Competitive Start Fund (CSF)
It should be noted that the Competitive Start Fund (CSF) ceased in early 2022, while the Pre-Seed Start Fund (PSSF) commenced in late 2022, which is the reason for 2022 figures only for PSSF.
|
Female
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
|
No. of CSF Calls
|
8
|
9
|
4
|
3
|
4
|
1
|
|
No. of Applicants
|
|
|
135
|
113
|
101
|
23
|
|
No. of Successful Applicants
|
41
|
12
|
22
|
20
|
16
|
5
|
|
Euro Value
|
€2,050,000
|
€600,000
|
€1,100,000
|
€1,000,000
|
€800,000
|
€250,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Male
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
|
No. of CSF Calls
|
7
|
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
1
|
|
No. of Applicants
|
|
|
158
|
165
|
164
|
40
|
|
No. of Successful Applicants
|
50
|
44
|
14
|
26
|
27
|
11
|
|
Euro Value
|
€2,500,000
|
€2,200,000
|
€700,000
|
€1,300,000
|
€1,350,000
|
€550,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Combined
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
|
No. of CSF Calls
|
8
|
9
|
4
|
3
|
4
|
1
|
|
No. of Applicants
|
766
|
406
|
239
|
278
|
265
|
63
|
|
No. of Successful Applicants
|
91
|
56
|
36
|
46
|
43
|
16
|
|
Euro Value
|
€4,550,000
|
€2,800,000
|
€1,800,000
|
€2,300,000
|
€2,150,000
|
€800,000
|
5 Pre-Seed Start Fund (PSSF)
|
Female
|
2022
|
Male
|
2022
|
Combined
|
2022
|
|
No. of Applicants
|
28
|
No. of Applicants
|
126
|
No. of Applicants
|
154
|
|
No. of Unique Applicants
|
N/A
|
No. of Unique Applicants
|
N/A
|
No. of Unique Applicants
|
N/A
|
|
No. of Successful Applicants
|
15
|
No. of Successful Applicants
|
29
|
No. of Successful Applicants
|
44
|
|
Euro Value
|
€1,350,000
|
Euro Value
|
€2,25,0000
|
Euro Value
|
€3,600,000
|
