Did you know you can fund your app idea with an Irish state grant?

If you run a small business in Ireland and have an idea for an app or a new online service, the biggest barrier is usually cost. Many owners park great ideas because they assume custom software or app development is out of reach for an SME.

The truth is, there are Irish government supports that can cover a large chunk of the early work on your project, and you can combine them with an experienced, accessibility-first development partner like us.

What are Innovation Vouchers?

Enterprise Ireland's Innovation Voucher Programme gives small and medium-sized limited companies vouchers that can be used to work with a registered knowledge provider, usually a university or research centre. Vouchers are typically worth around €5,000–€10,000 in expert time and are valid for 12 months.

You can use an Innovation Voucher to:

• Explore a new product, service, or app idea
• Develop or prototype a new digital service or business model
• Solve a technical problem in your existing systems
• Research user needs and accessibility requirements before building anything

The scheme is aimed at companies that lack the time, resources, or in-house expertise to invest in research and innovation. To qualify, you must generally be an SME (fewer than 250 employees, under €50m turnover) and a limited company registered with the CRO.

How does that help you get an app or website built?

An Innovation Voucher will not usually pay for a full commercial app to be built end-to-end. Instead, it funds the early work that makes the rest of the project faster, cheaper, and less risky.

That early work can include:

• Clarifying what your app should do and who it is for
• Designing accessible user journeys and screens
• Building a prototype or proof-of-concept
• Testing ideas with real users, including people with disabilities
• Choosing the right technical approach and architecture

This is exactly where our team comes in. With over 15 years of experience in software development, UX research, and accessibility, we work alongside your chosen knowledge provider to turn that funded research into a clear, practical roadmap for your product.

How we work with you through this process

1. 01

   Tell us your idea

   Fill in our short form and describe your idea in plain words. Tell us what you want to build and mention that you are interested in grant-supported options. No jargon needed.

2. 02

   Grant-friendly project scoping

   We help you define a focused piece of research or prototyping work that fits the Innovation Voucher rules and directly supports your app or website idea.

3. 03

   Support with the application

   We are not grant administrators, but we can provide technical descriptions and work plans that you can include in your application to Enterprise Ireland or your local support body.

4. 04

   Delivering the funded phase

   Once your voucher is approved and you are working with a knowledge provider, we collaborate to design and prototype an accessible, user-tested version of your product concept.

5. 05

   From prototype to full build

   After the funded phase, we deliver the production-ready app or website on a commercial basis, using the research and designs already in place.

This approach can significantly reduce the upfront cost of exploring and validating a new app or software idea.

Other Irish supports worth knowing about

Alongside Innovation Vouchers, there are other grants that can contribute to digital projects:

Get your app idea moving with government-backed funding

If you are an Irish SME with an idea for an app or online service, you may be able to use state supports such as Enterprise Ireland Innovation Vouchers or LEO feasibility grants to fund the research, design, and early development stages of your project.

We help you shape a grant-friendly project, collaborate with approved research partners, and turn the results into a production-ready accessible application for your business. You focus on the business case, we handle the technical side and make sure the project is structured in a way that fits the available supports.

Use Irish government supports to significantly reduce the upfront cost of your app or web project. Fund the research, prototyping, and planning for your app idea, then work with us to bring it to life.