Irish Tech Startups Raise Record €1.48 Billion—But What About Smaller Businesses?

The latest IVCA VenturePulse report shows that 2024 was a record-breaking year for Irish tech investment, with €1.48 billion raised. Major deals, like XOcean’s €115 million and Fire1’s €116 million rounds, drove this growth. However, while big-ticket funding surged, smaller deals—especially under €5 million—saw a sharp decline.

For startups and SMEs, this highlights a critical issue: while venture capital (VC) remains strong for high-growth companies, many businesses seeking smaller funding rounds are struggling to secure investment.

The Growing Funding Gap for Smaller Businesses

The IVCA report found that:

• Deals between €3 million and €5 million dropped 37% year-over-year.

• Deals in the €1 million to €3 million range declined 24%.

• Seed funding fell 4% over the year and 55% in Q4 alone.

This means that early-stage and growth-phase companies—especially those outside of deep tech or biotech—are facing increasing difficulties in accessing funding.

What This Means for Irish SMEs and Startups

While government initiatives, like the €250 million Seed & Venture Capital scheme, will provide some support, many businesses can’t afford to wait for public funding. This is where alternative financing solutions come into play.

At BusinessLoans.ie, we help Irish businesses access the capital they need—whether through business loans, asset financing, or alternative lenders. Unlike venture capital, which often requires giving up equity, our financing solutions allow businesses to grow while maintaining full ownership.

Need Funding? Here’s How We Can Help

• Flexible Business Loans: We work with a network of lenders to secure funding tailored to your needs.

• Faster Approvals: Unlike traditional bank loans or VC rounds, our financing solutions can be approved in days, not months.

• No Equity Dilution: Keep full control of your business while securing the funding you need to grow.

Get the Capital Your Business Needs

If you’re an Irish business struggling to secure funding, now is the time to explore alternative finance solutions. Call the BusinessLoans.ie team today on 01 55 636 55 to discuss your options and take the next step in your growth journey. Or APPLY HERE.

Some recent business loan quotes for Irish businesses

Some BusinessLoans.ie quotes this week. €180,000 working capital loan for a pharmacy chain, merchant cash advance; €500,000 working capital loan for an unlimited company, term loan 3 years; Flexible invoice finance for startup environmental consultancy, ongoing arrangement.

Does your business need finance? Call the BusinessLoans.ie team on 01 55 636 55 for fast finance quotes or email hello@businessloans.ie.

Recent deal: A solar business gets a €35,000 merchant cash advance

BusinessLoans.ie is celebrating another successful deal. It was for a solar business involved in sales and installations in the residential market. Recently they were busier because the energy crisis led to increased demand for green energy solutions. As a result of this, they needed financing to get the best deal on bulk buying stock as well as increased payroll obligations to meet with their new installations team member.

The BusinessLoans.ie team got their quote turned around in 24 hours with a merchant cash advance. The finance facility was based on the significant turnover they had via their online and card machine sales. They now have a flexible repayment that fits with their cash flow cycle and are happy. Does your business want a fast finance quote? Call us on 01 55 636 55 or email hello@businessloans.ie.

Recent deal: €100,000 merchant cash advance for furniture retailer

BusinessLoans.ie is celebrating helping another client. It was for a long-established family business retailing furniture. Lately they had been getting some big orders to assist with Ukrainian refugee accommodation fit-outs. A stocking loan requirement of €100,000 was identified but getting a simple bank loan was proving too challenging due to slight losses on accounts from the previous year. We identified a finance quote opportunity from the significant turnover from all their online and in-store card machine sales. They were funded in days and were happy with a flexible repayment that fits with their cash flow cycle.

Does your business need finance? Call the BusinessLoans.ie team for fast finance quotes on 01 55 636 55 or email hello@businessloans.ie.

Recent deal: A pizza franchisee & a slice of working capital

BusinessLoans.ie is celebrating another successful deal. It was a pizza chain franchisee that wasn’t trading so long. They didn’t have a set of accounts filed with the Companies Registration Office yet and this ruled out most debt financing options. Their bank was unable to help.

BusinessLoans.ie identified a fast finance quote based on their significant card machine turnover. Our lending partner provided a merchant cash advance of €25,000 with a flexible repayment that fits with their cash flow cycle. The client got their working capital and they were happy. Does your business need a fast finance quote? Email us at hello@businessloans.ie or call 01 55 636 55.

Recent deal: Loan success with imperfect accounts

BusinessLoans.ie helped a long-established eCommerce business who required working capital to get past a rough patch. It left their accounts showing a loss and they were finding it difficult to get support from their bank. When we reviewed the information an angle was identified because they had healthy turnover on their merchant account and they were coming in to a busier time of year. A specialist merchant cash advance lender was able to quickly give indicative figures for their desired amount and within days the funds were in their account. The client was happy and they have comfort that the lender indicated they would be willing to support them again as cash flow improves in the coming months.

Does your business need working capital, funds to expand, renovations or for anything else? Call the BusinessLoans.ie team today on 01 55 636 55 or email at hello@businessloans.ie.