Entrepreneurship Impact Fund: Youth Entrepreneurship Incubators (Strand 2) – Ireland

The Entrepreneurship Impact Fund 2023-2026 is a three-year fund, through the support of a private donor, which aims to have impact across three strands:

• Strand 1: The Social Innovation Growth and Scaling Fund (awarded)
• Strand 2: Youth Entrepreneurship Incubators
• Strand 3: The Minority Entrepreneurship Fund

Funding Information 

• Cash grants of up to €150,000 annually per organisation over the two year period will be awarded. 25% of the total value of each award should be made in the form of a seed fund cash grant between €5,000 and €10,000 to participating young entrepreneurs.

Ineligible Projects

• Projects that are not eligible to apply are:
  • Projects where research is the primary activity
  • Projects seeking funding for capital assets (such as buildings, vans or equipment)
  • Projects promoting or aligned with a political party
  • Projects that only accept participants of a particular faith or religious denomination
  • Projects focused on animal welfare
  • Projects based outside the Republic of Ireland
  • Projects led by people under 18 years of age (incubator provider)
  • Projects that are an idea (only) and that have not started yet

Eligibility Criteria

• This fund is open to organisations that have a not-for-profit legal form, e.g. a company limited by guarantee, a co-operative, trust, charity, and other voluntary organisations that meet the following criteria:
  • Projects must meet both Rethink Ireland’s criteria and the specific criteria for The Entrepreneurship Impact Fund – Strand 2: Youth Entrepreneurship Incubators 2025, as set out below:
    • Rethink Ireland Criteria
      • Applicants must come from an entity that has a not-for-profit legal form, e.g. a company limited by guarantee, a co-operative, trust, charity.
      • The project proposed must be innovative in an Irish context
      • The project must be based on the island of Ireland and must make its main impact in the Republic of Ireland
      • The project must have potential and a desire to scale or replicate in Ireland (it may also have potential internationally, but this is not a requirement)
      • The project must provide evidence that it is up and running, or has been tested at least in a minimal way.
    • The Entrepreneurship Impact Fund – Strand 2: Youth Entrepreneurship Incubators 2025 Fund Specific Criteria
      • Previous experience running youth entrepreneurship incubators or evidence of the ability to do so based on a track record in a similar area
      • Proven track record of distributing cash grants and have/will have the appropriate infrastructure in place to support this process

Ineligibility Criteria

• Applicants that are not eligible to apply are:
  • Applicants under 18 years of age (incubator provider rather than participant)
  • Commercial companies, sole traders and individuals
  • Any staff member from Rethink Ireland and their family members. Family members include siblings, parents, spouses or civil partners or children.
  • Individuals
  • statutory or public bodies, companies limited by shares and organisations that are state bodies or agencies that are not registered charities
  • Any consultant currently working with Rethink Ireland.

For more information, visit Rethink Ireland.