If you own an innovative SME, you can apply for very generous EU funding.
Innovative Irish SMEs can apply for EU funding of up to € 2.5 million (€5 million for health projects) to finance their “innovation activities”.
The money is from the Horizon 2020 SME Instrument.
Click here to apply.
19 Irish SMEs have landed the windfall 
Three Dublin-based SMEs recently landed the available grant money. 

   Artomatix Limited. Project: ArtomatixSuite – A 3D content generation solution for digital artists.
   Nuritas Ltd. Project: PeptiEUForce – PeptiEUForce: a game-changing ingredient for the pre-diabetic population.
   SiriusXT Ltd. Project: SMILE – Synchrotron Miniaturization enabling innovative laboratory equipment in soft x-ray tomography.

This brings the total to 19 Irish firms who have received this cash windfall. 

Apply for the next round of cash
If you think you have what it takes, you can apply now. The next cut-off for the SME instrument is 13 October 2016.
“The Horizon 2020 SME Instrument helps high-potential SMEs develop ground breaking ideas that are ready to face global markets,” says the EC. 
In two years, since the instruments were launched, 19,320 proposals have been received and funded 1,443 projects for a total amount of €527 million.
READ: There are 80 government grants and supports for Irish SMEs.

Award winning entrepreneur Ray Rogers talks about starting and growing a successful company. ‘Too many business owners are great at their business but still fail because they don’t know how to keep their books organised.’

Surf Accounts is a cloud-based accounts and CRM system aimed at small and medium-sized businesses. You can access and update your accounts anytime, anywhere and on any device and working with your accountant becomes a seamless and real-time event.
Achievements 
There are some standout achievements for us to date. Surf Accounts was named Bank of Ireland Startup of the Year 2016. We have also won the ALPHA competition for Startups two years in a row, representing Ireland at the Collision Conference in Las Vegas and New Orleans.
And we have been awarded “ICAEW Accredited Software” status, one of only seven online financial products to have been accredited by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Low moments
There have been low moments. We once made a start on the product and realised after months of work that the look and feel would not fly so we went back to the drawing board, a large amount of cost and time we could have done without.  
How do I cope with setbacks? 
Dig deep and get things back on track. The creation of product, project or business will be bedevilled by delays, so expect them, try to anticipate as many as you can, and then you are only dealing with left-field stuff. Generally, left field stuff can be sorted.

“I am not a risk taker. Where something does have risk associated with it, I prefer it to be a risk that is within my control. ”

If I were to start again?
I’d get a great team from the outset and then get investment early into the project. We had to do it all on our own but sometimes

Crowdfunding in Ireland may sound like a new trend. In fact, it has been around for centuries.
Crowdfunding is a traditional way for small businesses to raise money. In the past, crowdfunding was called the cooperative movement. Collective groups, such as community or interest-based groups, pooled subscribed funds to develop new ideas, products and distribution channels. 
Today, it is by definition, “the practice of funding a project or venture by raising many small amounts of money from a large number of people, typically via the Internet.”
The Internet simply made crowdfunding available for more businesses and more investors.
What are some of the top crowdfunding sites?
There are crowdfunding platforms particular to the Irish market including: FundIt; SeedUps; iCrowdFund; iDonate.ie; and MoneyCrowd.
What are the risks?
According to Matheson, there is no legislation or regulations in Ireland specifically dealing with crowdfunding. It’s an unregulated industry. 

What is the state of crowdfunding in Ireland and Europe?
The Current State of Crowdfunding, a new report by CrowdfundingHub, shows that in almost all European countries volumes are rising quickly, but large differences between countries remain.
“We are happy to see that more countries are now adopting legislations for the industry, and we expect crowdfunding volumes to increase even further in the coming years,” says Ronald Kleverlaan, CEO of CrowdfundingHub.
The UK has the most mature alternative finance industry when it comes to volume as well as the ecosystem.
In the United Kingdom, more than 10% of businesses are funded through alternative investment and this percentage is growing.
“Equity-based crowdfunding for SMEs has tremendous potential in Ireland, but the Central Bank needs to be supportive of the process,” says Paddy Coyne of iDonate.ie. 
READ MORE: Simple ways to finance your business. 

Pokémon Go has taken the world by storm. But its more than just a game; it could be a tool to drive sales for your small business.
Most savvy business owners know the value of Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat to promote their services, but they may know of the phenomenon that is Pokémon Go.
Since its launch on July 7, the virtual reality gaming app has already overtaken the likes of Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram and Snapchat in terms of daily usage by people. Nintendo’s share price has skyrocketed accordingly. The craze has taken hold in Ireland since its recent launch. But what relevance is any of this to Irish SMEs, and what benefits could a video gaming app possibly bring to your small business? The answer lies in the nature of your company, and your willingness to engage with the world of Pokestops and Pikachus.
What is Pokémon Go?
Pokémon Go is a free to play ‘augmented reality’ video game that iPhone and Android users can download onto their phones. It is also highly addictive. What sets Pokémon Go apart from other video games is that is uses the real world as its backdrop; users move through ordinary streets, parks, shops and so forth on the hunt for Pokémon – digital creatures visible only through the user’s smartphone. Pokémon Go players are out roaming the streets interacting with the outside world, and clever retailers are beginning to attract the players to their stores.
Increased footfall
It’s important to understand that the game features two types of fixed locations; Pokestops (where players stock up on virtual supplies like potions) and Pokémon Gyms (where players battle their Pokémon against one another). These locations are often shops, coffee shops, and casual restaurants. Even if a business isn’t a designated Pokestop, there is probably one nearby and the players passing by this business on their way

Pokémon Go has taken the world by storm. But its more than just a game; it could be a tool to drive sales for your small business.
Most savvy business owners are probably aware by now of the benefits of using the likes of Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat to promote their services, but they may not have considered yet how to take advantage of the phenomenon that is Pokémon Go.
Since its launch on July 7, the virtual reality gaming app has already overtaken the likes of Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram and Snapchat in terms of daily usage by consumers and Nintendo’s share price has skyrocketed accordingly. The craze has taken hold in Ireland since its official launch here last weekend, and seems set to only grow in popularity. But what relevance is any of this to Irish SMEs, and what benefits could a video gaming app possibly bring to your business? The answer lies in the nature of your company, and your willingness to engage with the world of Pokestops and Pikachus.
What is Pokémon Go?
Pokémon Go is a free to play ‘augmented reality’ video game that iPhone and Android users can download onto their phones and is seemingly highly addictive. What sets Pokémon Go apart from other video games is that is uses the real world as its backdrop; users move through ordinary streets, parks, shops and so forth on the hunt for Pokémon- digital creatures visible only through the user’s smartphone. Where previously videogame addicts have been locked up in their rooms, with Pokémon Go players are out roaming the streets interacting with the outside world, and clever business people are finding ways to sell them their products.
Increased footfall
It’s important to understand that the game features two types fixed locations; Pokestops (where players stock up on virtual supplies like potions) and Pokémon