Submit your startup on Round Funded to get matched with investors as you prepare for Ireland’s Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP). The route is for non-EEA founders with an innovative business intended for international markets, and the first founder must show at least €50,000 in secured funding.
What does Ireland’s startup entrepreneur programme require?
STEP is an Irish residence route for founders whose ventures meet the High Potential Start-Up (HPSU) criteria. Enterprise Ireland’s Evaluation Committee assesses the business case. Having the required funding is necessary, but it does not establish eligibility on its own.
The proposed company must introduce a new or innovative product or service to international markets. It must operate in manufacturing or internationally traded services, be headquartered and controlled in Ireland, and be less than six years old.
The business plan also needs to make a credible case for growth in Ireland. The venture should be capable of creating 10 jobs and reaching €1 million in sales within three to four years of starting up.
STEP is not intended for businesses focused mainly on local customers. Retail, catering, personal services and other local trades are excluded, even if the founder has the required capital. There is no degree requirement or points-based test; the business plan is central to the assessment.
How much funding must you secure for STEP?
The minimum is €50,000 for the first founder. Each additional founder joining the same business needs a further €30,000. The funds do not have to be spent before applying, but they must be secured and supported by evidence showing where they came from.
Potential sources include personal savings, venture capital or angel investment, business loans, and grants, including support from Irish state agencies. A prospective investment conversation should not be presented as secured capital. Prepare documentation that substantiates both the amount and its origin.
If investment is part of your funding plan, allow time to identify suitable investors and secure the necessary evidence before submitting. You can search investors by stage, industry, geography and check size on Round Funded. Its database covers 60,000+ active VCs, angels, family offices and accelerators, with investors filtered to recent activity and verified email addresses.
What should your STEP business plan explain?
A strong plan connects the product’s innovation to international demand and a practical growth path in Ireland. It should make clear what is different about the product or service, which markets could need it, and how the company could develop its operations and sales.
Consider addressing these areas:
- Market opportunity: Define the market and explain the international opportunity.
- Evidence of demand: Describe customer, user or commercial traction that supports the case.
- Commercial model: Explain how the business earns revenue and how growth can be sustainable.
- Hiring plan: Set out how the company could create 10 jobs in Ireland within four years.
- Use of funds: Identify the funding sources and how the capital supports the company’s plan.
Keep the narrative consistent across the plan and supporting documents. For example, the funding evidence should align with the amounts described in the application, while the commercial case should support the growth ambitions. A generic plan may leave the evaluator without a clear basis for judging the business’s market potential or execution path.
What permission does STEP provide, and how long does it take?
Successful applicants receive Stamp 4 permission for two years, which can be renewed for a further three years. A spouse or partner and children are included. Stamp 4 allows the founder to work without a separate employment permit, and time on this permission counts toward naturalisation, typically after five years of reckonable residence.
The non-refundable application fee is €350. The required documents include the application form, a complete business plan, evidence of the €50,000 and its origin, police clearance, and identity documents.
The Evaluation Committee meets quarterly and reviews applications in batches four times a year. The realistic timeframe from submission to decision is three to six months, depending on the committee cycle. Account for that schedule when planning your fundraising and application preparation.
At the two-year renewal point, founders need to show progress against the business plan. Evidence could include incorporation, hiring, product development, revenue or additional funding. The focus is on demonstrating execution, rather than delivering every original projection exactly as written.
Which STEP application mistakes can founders avoid?
Some weaknesses arise when the application treats one requirement as if it covers the whole case. Funding matters, but the venture also needs to meet the HPSU and international-trade criteria. The plan must establish why the company can sell beyond the local market.
Other issues to check before submission include:
- Unconfirmed capital: Document secured funds and their origin rather than relying on an informal indication of interest.
- Vague job creation: Explain a credible route to 10 jobs in Ireland within four years.
- Unsupported international potential: Connect the product or service to international markets and demand.
- Poor timing: Take quarterly committee meetings into account when setting your application schedule.
- Generic planning: Make the market, traction, commercial model, hiring and funding plans specific to the venture.
Review the business plan alongside the supporting evidence so that the figures, funding claims and growth narrative are aligned.
How Round Funded helps founders prepare investor outreach
- Submit your startup on Round Funded to begin the process of getting matched with investors.
- Search VCs, angels, family offices and accelerators using filters for stage, industry, geography and check size.
- Build and share a Data Room containing your deck, traction, team and ask on one link. Building and sharing it is free on every plan.
- Use AI to draft personalized investor emails and follow-ups, then send them from your own Gmail.
- Track investor stages and next steps in the fundraising pipeline. Round+ also includes per-investor tracked links and engagement analytics.
Apply to get matched with active investors. Round Funded offers Round+ at $99 a month, Round Pro at $249 a month, and a Lifetime option at $899 one-time. Round+ and Round Pro include a 3-day free trial for first-time accounts; there is no free tier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply to Ireland’s Start-up Entrepreneur Programme?
Non-EEA founders with an innovative business aimed at international markets may apply. The venture must meet HPSU criteria, be headquartered and controlled in Ireland, and be less than six years old.
How much funding does a STEP founder need?
The first founder must show at least €50,000 in secured funding. Each subsequent founder joining the same business needs an additional €30,000, with documented evidence of where the funds came from.
Can an investor or grant provide the required funding?
Yes. Eligible funding sources include venture capital or angel investment, grants, personal savings and business loans. Funds must be secured and documented, but they do not need to have been spent.
How long does the STEP decision take?
The realistic timeframe is three to six months from submission. The Evaluation Committee meets quarterly and considers applications in batches.
What happens when the initial Stamp 4 permission ends?
At the two-year renewal, founders must demonstrate progress against the business plan. The permission can be renewed for a further three years.